Ivy Weber
Encyclopedia
Ivy Lavinia Weber was an Australia
n politician.
Born at Captains Flat
in New South Wales
to schoolteacher John Filshie and his wife Elizabeth Seaman, she was educated at the local schools, eventually becoming a physical culturist and organiser. On 11 December 1915 in Sydney
she married Thomas Mitchell, a stock and station agent, with whom she had one son. They moved to Melbourne
, but Thomas was killed in World War I
in 1917. She married her second husband, fellow physical culturist Clarence Weber, on 7 March 1919; they had one son and two daughters.
Following her husband's death in 1930, she experimented with several occupations, including as a lecturer on health and diet and a Country Party organiser. In 1937, she was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for Nunawading
, as an independent
. She generally supported Country Party Premier Albert Dunstan
in the Assembly. She resigned from the Assembly in 1943 to contest the federal seat of Henty
in the election of that year
; she came fifth in a field of six candidates with 3.9% of the vote, and the seat was won by another independent, Arthur Coles
.
She contested Box Hill
unsuccessfully in 1945 and held various positions subsequently; in 1943 she had been president of the Victorian section of Women for Canberra. From 1950 to 1952 she was organising secretary for the women's section of the Victorian Country Party. After an unsuccessful stint as a guest house operator, she organised for Blind Babies Homes in 1955 and then became organising secretary of the Australian Women's Movement against Socialism. Weber died in 1975 at Camberwell
, and was cremated at Springvale Crematorium.
She was the first woman elected at a general election in Victoria (Millie Peacock
had previously won the seat of Allandale
at a by-election), and the first non-major party woman in Australia to win a seat.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician.
Born at Captains Flat
Captains Flat, New South Wales
Captains Flat is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in Palerang Shire. It is south of Queanbeyan.It is suggested that a bullock named "Captain" from Foxlow station, 12 km away, grazed here and hence the place name....
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
to schoolteacher John Filshie and his wife Elizabeth Seaman, she was educated at the local schools, eventually becoming a physical culturist and organiser. On 11 December 1915 in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
she married Thomas Mitchell, a stock and station agent, with whom she had one son. They moved to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, but Thomas was killed in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1917. She married her second husband, fellow physical culturist Clarence Weber, on 7 March 1919; they had one son and two daughters.
Following her husband's death in 1930, she experimented with several occupations, including as a lecturer on health and diet and a Country Party organiser. In 1937, she was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly
Victorian Legislative Assembly
The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the Parliament of Victoria in Australia. Together with the Victorian Legislative Council, the upper house, it sits in Parliament House in the state capital, Melbourne.-History:...
for Nunawading
Electoral district of Nunawading
The electoral district of Nunawading was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria.-Members for Nunawading:...
, as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. She generally supported Country Party Premier Albert Dunstan
Albert Dunstan
Sir Albert Arthur Dunstan, KCMG was an Australian politician. A member of the Country Party , Dunstan was the 33rd Premier of Victoria. His term as Premier was the second-longest in the state's history, behind Sir Henry Bolte...
in the Assembly. She resigned from the Assembly in 1943 to contest the federal seat of Henty
Division of Henty
The Division of Henty was an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1913 and abolished in 1990. It was named for the Henty family of Portland, the first European settlers in Victoria. It was located in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne, including at various times...
in the election of that year
Australian federal election, 1943
Federal elections were held in Australia on 21 August 1943. All 74 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Australian Labor Party led by Prime Minister of Australia John Curtin easily defeated the opposition Country Party led...
; she came fifth in a field of six candidates with 3.9% of the vote, and the seat was won by another independent, Arthur Coles
Arthur Coles
Sir Arthur William Coles was a prominent Australian businessman and philanthropist.With his brothers Coles founded the Coles Variety Stores in the 1920s, which were to become one of the two largest supermarket chains in Australia now known as Coles Group...
.
She contested Box Hill
Electoral district of Box Hill
The Electoral district of Box Hill is an eastern metropolitan electorate approximately 12 kilometres east of Melbourne, Australia in Victoria's Legislative Assembly....
unsuccessfully in 1945 and held various positions subsequently; in 1943 she had been president of the Victorian section of Women for Canberra. From 1950 to 1952 she was organising secretary for the women's section of the Victorian Country Party. After an unsuccessful stint as a guest house operator, she organised for Blind Babies Homes in 1955 and then became organising secretary of the Australian Women's Movement against Socialism. Weber died in 1975 at Camberwell
Camberwell, Victoria
Camberwell is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 9 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara. At the 2006 Census, Camberwell had a population of 19,637....
, and was cremated at Springvale Crematorium.
She was the first woman elected at a general election in Victoria (Millie Peacock
Millie Peacock
Millie Gertrude Peacock, Lady Peacock was the first woman elected to the Parliament of Victoria.-Early life:...
had previously won the seat of Allandale
Electoral district of Allandale
The electoral district of Allandale was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of Victoria.-Members for Allandale:...
at a by-election), and the first non-major party woman in Australia to win a seat.