National History Challenge
-Edith Dircksey Cowan
Research Questions
⊗ How did Edith Cowan contribute to her society? (Ld)
⊗ Are people today still able to look up to her as a role model? (Ld)
⊗ Do people still remember and recognise Edith Cowan? (Lg)
⊗ What did she accomplish in her lifetime that still lasts to this day? (Lg)
⊗ Was she valued as a politician/leader and was she treated fairly?
Key Info
• Born on 2nd of August 1861 in Glengarry Station (Near Geraldton), WA, Australia 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,11,14
• Died on 9th June 1932 (71 years) 1,2,3,4,5,9,11,14 (Possibly due to age)
• Married to James Cowan on the 12th November 1879 in St George’s Cathedral at the age of 18 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9,14
>> Grew her interest in social issues and politics,…show more content… Family (Background info) • Father (Kenneth Brown) 1,3,5,6,8 Edith: Second child 3,5,8
• Mother (Mary Eliza Dircksey) 1,3,5,8
(Kenneth Brown’s first wife)
• Husband (James Cowan) 1,2,3,5,6,7,8,9,14
• 5 children (4 daughters and a son 1880-1891) 3,7,11,14
• Edith’s mother died during childbirth when she was seven years old (1868) 1,3,4,5,6,7,9,10,11,14
• Her father (Kenneth Brown, who suffered from illness and jealousy) was hung after he murdered his second wife (Mary Ann Brown) on 10th June, 1876…show more content… 10
• Initiator of the Women’s Service Guild (1909) and was vice-president to 1917 (when she resigned), of which led to the opening of the King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women (1916) 3,5,6,8,9,11,14
• Successfully passed on the State Children’s Act in 19076,7,8,9,14
• Passed on Women's Legal Status Act in 1923, which made it possible for women to work in the legal profession. 1,8,13,14
• One of the leaders of the movement in WA to obtain the vote for women (achieved in 1899)