Maybanke Anderson: Sex, Suffrage and Social Reform by Jan Roberts

Book Description

Secondhand. Very good condition. Minor wear to book corners and edges.

Who was Maybanke Anderson (1845-1927)? Once almost a household name to several generations of Australians, she is now almost unknown.

Yet her achievements were remarkable - She owned and edited a newspaper, campaigned tirelessly and successfully for Australian women's rights to vote, fair property and false laws, free kindergartens and children's playgrounds, sex education, and adult education.

And yet her circumstances might have overwhelmed a lesser person. Her first husband drank and finally deserted her. Four of her seven children died in childhood, and another drowned at sea. To support her family, she founded a school noted for its standards, although her radical ideas alienated many.

In this fascinating biography, Jan Roberts traces the life of Maybanke and her influential circle of friends. She describes the hardships and injustices of Australian society at the turn of the 20th century and how a farsighted, articulate, and intelligent woman rose to the challenge of reforming it. (back cover)