Belle Golding

Isabella Theresa "Belle" Golding[2] (25 November 1864 – 11 December 1940)[2] was an Australian feminist, suffragist and labour activist.

Belle Golding
Belle Golding in 1903[1]
Born
Isabella Theresa Golding

1864 (1864)
Tambaroora, New South Wales, Australia
Died11 December 1940(1940-12-11) (aged 75–76)
Annandale, New South Wales, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Occupation(s)suffragist, labour activist

Belle Golding was born at Tambaroora, Wellington County, New South Wales to Joseph Golding (died 1890), a gold-miner from Galway, Ireland, and his Scottish wife, Ann (died 1906; née Fraser). In May 1900, Belle Golding became the first female inspector of public schools in Australia. She and her sisters, Annie Mackenzie Golding (1855–1934), and Mrs Kate Dwyer, joined the Womanhood Suffrage League of New South Wales in about 1893, before forming the Women's Progressive Association in 1904.[2]

Career

Under the Early Closing Act of 1899, Golding became Australia's first female inspector of public schools. Throughout her career as a public servant, Golding exercised her passion for improving the conditions of living for women, often documenting health and employment concerns unique to women. Later, when the Wage Arbitration Act passed, she was made an industrial inspector; the first and (as of 1940) the only woman to be named Chair of a Wage Board. In that position she was able to settle the dispute between the Fruiterers and Confectioners' Employees' Union. The dispute was settled in 7.5 hours, and the award ran its full term.[3] Golding was a co-founder of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Australia.[3]

Death and legacy

After retiring due to ill health in 1927, Golding died, aged 76, on 11 December 1940 at Annandale, New South Wales.[4][5]

Golding Place, in the Canberra suburb of Chisholm, is named for Golding and her sister Annie Mackenzie Golding.[6]

References
  1. "Here are portraits of the ladies of the hour". The Catholic Press. Sydney, NSW. 10 December 1903. p. 15. Retrieved 17 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. Kingston, Beverley (1983), "Golding, Isabella Theresa (Belle) (1864–1940)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 7 April 2015
  3. "Miss Belle Golding". The Catholic Press. 19 December 1940. Retrieved 4 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Miss "Belle" Goulding – Retirement From Public Service". The Sydney Morning Herald. 29 December 1926. Retrieved 4 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Obituary – Miss Isabella Golding". The Sydney Morning Herald. 14 December 1940. Retrieved 4 November 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. "Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. Periodic (National : 1977 – 2011) – 15 May 1987 – p2". Trove. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
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