Jean Daley
Encyclopedia
Jane "Jean" Daley was an Australian political organiser.
Born at Mount Gambier in South Australia
to Robert Dennis Daley and Julia Ann, née Scott, she was educated at convents; the family later moved to Victoria and she attended Loreto Convent in Portland
. Her father was an early member of the Amalgamated Shearers' Union. She bore an illegitimate child in Melbourne
in 1906 before returning to her family home at Wallacedale, near Hamilton
. Having become known as Jean, she moved to Melbourne in 1909 and joined the Women's Organising Committee of the Political Labor Council of Victoria. A 1916 Hotel and Caterers' Union delegate to the Trades Hall Council and an early member of the Militant Propaganda League, she was an executive member of the Victorian Socialist Party from 1916 69 1917.
An organiser of the Labor Women's Anti-Conscription
Committee from its formation in September 1916, she was a political rival of Vida Goldstein
and subsequently became vice-president of the Labor Women's Campaign Committee, a rival group. She was inaugural president of the re-formed Women's Central Organising Committee from 1918 to 1920 and supported pacifism
and the industrial organisation of women. Defeated by Mary Rogers for the post of Labor women's organiser in 1919, she was elected a delegate to the 1921 federal conference and later that year was elected to the central executive and as a delegate to the All Australia Trade Union Congress, also publishing a series of articles on the Australian anti-conscription movement in the Seattle Union Record. At the 1922 federal election
she stood as the first female Labor Party
candidate in Victoria, unsuccessfully contesting the safe conservative seat of Kooyong
.
Finally being elected women's organiser in 1926, Daley was instrumental in the formation of the Labor Women's Interstate Executive in 1929 (secretary, 1930–47) and continued to be highly active in the union movement throughout the 1930s. Forced to resign her various posts in 1947 due to ill health, she died in 1948 of liver disease
at the Alfred Hospital. She never married.
Born at Mount Gambier in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
to Robert Dennis Daley and Julia Ann, née Scott, she was educated at convents; the family later moved to Victoria and she attended Loreto Convent in Portland
Portland, Victoria
The city of Portland is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of Victoria, Australia. It is the main urban centre of the Shire of Glenelg. It is located on Portland Bay.-History:...
. Her father was an early member of the Amalgamated Shearers' Union. She bore an illegitimate child in 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...
in 1906 before returning to her family home at Wallacedale, near Hamilton
Hamilton, Victoria
Hamilton is a city in western Victoria, Australia. It is located at the intersection of the Glenelg Highway and the Henty Highway...
. Having become known as Jean, she moved to Melbourne in 1909 and joined the Women's Organising Committee of the Political Labor Council of Victoria. A 1916 Hotel and Caterers' Union delegate to the Trades Hall Council and an early member of the Militant Propaganda League, she was an executive member of the Victorian Socialist Party from 1916 69 1917.
An organiser of the Labor Women's Anti-Conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
Committee from its formation in September 1916, she was a political rival of Vida Goldstein
Vida Goldstein
Vida Jane Mary Goldstein was an early Australian feminist politician who campaigned for women's suffrage and social reform.-Early years:...
and subsequently became vice-president of the Labor Women's Campaign Committee, a rival group. She was inaugural president of the re-formed Women's Central Organising Committee from 1918 to 1920 and supported pacifism
Pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition to war and violence. The term "pacifism" was coined by the French peace campaignerÉmile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress inGlasgow in 1901.- Definition :...
and the industrial organisation of women. Defeated by Mary Rogers for the post of Labor women's organiser in 1919, she was elected a delegate to the 1921 federal conference and later that year was elected to the central executive and as a delegate to the All Australia Trade Union Congress, also publishing a series of articles on the Australian anti-conscription movement in the Seattle Union Record. At the 1922 federal election
Australian federal election, 1922
Federal elections were held in Australia on 16 December 1922. All 75 seats in the House of Representatives, and 19 of the 36 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Nationalist Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Billy Hughes lost its majority...
she stood as the first female Labor Party
Australian Labor Party
The Australian Labor Party is an Australian political party. It has been the governing party of the Commonwealth of Australia since the 2007 federal election. Julia Gillard is the party's federal parliamentary leader and Prime Minister of Australia...
candidate in Victoria, unsuccessfully contesting the safe conservative seat of Kooyong
Division of Kooyong
The Division of Kooyong is an Australian Electoral Division in the state of Victoria. It is located in the inner eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and encompasses the suburbs of Kew, Hawthorn, Hawthorn East, Balwyn, Canterbury, Camberwell and Surrey Hills. The Division was proclaimed in 1900, and was...
.
Finally being elected women's organiser in 1926, Daley was instrumental in the formation of the Labor Women's Interstate Executive in 1929 (secretary, 1930–47) and continued to be highly active in the union movement throughout the 1930s. Forced to resign her various posts in 1947 due to ill health, she died in 1948 of liver disease
Liver disease
Liver disease is a broad term describing any single number of diseases affecting the liver.-Diseases:* Hepatitis, inflammation of the liver, caused mainly by various viruses but also by some poisons , autoimmunity or hereditary conditions...
at the Alfred Hospital. She never married.