Euphemia Bridges Bowes (''née'' Allen) (1816–1900) was a

suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...

and social activist, who campaigned for the

temperance movement The temperance movement is a social movement promoting Temperance (virtue), temperance or total abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages. Participants in the movement typically criticize alcohol intoxication or promote teetotalism, and ...

and helped to raise the

age of consent The age of consent is the age at which a person is considered to be legally competent to consent to Human sexual activity, sexual acts. Consequently, an adult who engages in sexual activity with a person younger than the age of consent is un ...

and fight against

child prostitution Child prostitution is prostitution involving a child, and it is a form of commercial sexual exploitation of children. The term normally refers to prostitution of a minor, or person under the legal age of consent. In most jurisdictions, child ...

Early life

Euphemia Bridges Allen was born in Edinburgh in 1816 to Joseph and Eliza Allen. She was well-educated for a female in the early 19th century, and was able to read and write. Allen was selected to come to Australia as part of the Bounty Immigrants Scheme (1835-1941), under which new immigrants could be selected for employment by colonists who would pay for their passage. After arriving on 6 December 1838 upon the Fairlie, Euphemia worked as a house servant. Allen married John Bowes, a baker and

Wesleyan Wesleyan theology, otherwise known as Wesleyan–Arminian theology, or Methodist theology, is a theological tradition in Protestant Christianity based upon the ministry of the 18th-century evangelical reformer brothers John Wesley and Charle ...

lay preacher, on 13 September 1842 in

Parramatta Parramatta (; ) is a suburb (Australia), suburb and major commercial centre in Greater Western Sydney. Parramatta is located approximately west of the Sydney central business district, Sydney CBD, on the banks of the Parramatta River. It is co ...

. In 1848, the family moved to

Wollongong Wollongong ( ; Dharawal: ''Woolyungah'') is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. The name is believed to originate from the Dharawal language, meaning either 'five islands/clouds', 'ground near water' or 'sound ...

where John was accepted into the Wesleyan Ministry. Euphemia gave birth to eleven children, with eight surviving into adulthood. After living in various rural townships as part of John's ministerial work, he and Euphemia returned to

Stanmore Stanmore is part of the London Borough of Harrow in Greater London. It is centred northwest of Charing Cross, lies on the outskirts of the London urban area and includes Stanmore Hill, one of the List of highest points in London, highest point ...

in 1880.

Social activism

Bowes was a driving member of the Sydney, and, New South Wales branches of the

Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program that "linked the religious and the secular through concerted and far ...

, which was founded in 1882. This Union was the first to adopt the cause of female suffrage in Australia. Bowes was president from 1885-1892, and remained active until her death eight years later. She was regarded as a powerful and engaging speaker. She felt that giving women voting rights would be an excellent means of establishing control over the sale and consumption of liquor. Bowes used contacts from her time in rural districts to set up new regional unions. Thanks to her substantial contribution to the movement, Bowes was voted honorary life president in 1893 and she was succeeded by

Sara Susan Nolan Sara Susan Nolan (25 December 1843 – 6 March 1927) was an English born temperance reformer in Sydney, Australia. She had joined the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) in Brisbane but it was in Sydney that she became branch and later state ...

. Bowes was also a productive campaigner for a variety of measures to decrease alcohol consumption in the colony. She had success in the development of licensing restrictions and the limitation of Sunday trading. Despite vigorous campaigning, she was unable to ban the use of barmaids. Some of her other contributions include practical programs such as a home for inebriate women, which was opened in 1892. In 1886, Bowes was one of five women who founded a ladies' committee as an offshoot of the New South Wales Social Purity Society. As part of their agenda to promote morality in the colony, the committee secured several pieces of legislation to better protect women. Bowes was able to help with the elevation of the age of consent from 14 to 18. She was also instrumental in new measure against solicitation, brothels, and child prostitution.

Later life

After the death of her husband in 1891, Euphemia ran the ladies' college that he established in

Marrickville Marrickville is a suburb in the Inner West of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Marrickville is located south-west of the Sydney central business district and is the largest suburb in the Inner West Council local government ...

. She died on 12 November 1900 and is buried at

Rookwood Cemetery Rookwood Cemetery (officially named Rookwood Necropolis) is a heritage-listed cemetery in Rookwood, Sydney, Australia. It is the largest necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere and is the world's largest remaining operating cemetery from the ...

; she was survived by three sons and four daughters. Her granddaughter

Ruby Board Ruby Willmet Board CMG (15 October 1880 – 25 December 1963) was an Australian community worker. She was known for her long association with the National Council of Women of Australia and with diabetes organisations. Early life Board was born on ...

(daughter of educationist

Peter Board Peter Board (27 March 1858 – 12 February 1945) was an Australian educationist and public servant best known for his advocacy of education reform in New South Wales. Board was born in Wingham, New South Wales, the son of a Scottish immigrant. ...

) was a prominent women's activist.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowes, Euphemia Bridges 1816 births 1900 deaths Australian Methodists Activists from Edinburgh Australian suffragists Australian temperance activists Scottish emigrants to Australia Australian women activists