Louisa Margaret Dunkley
Encyclopedia
Louisa Margaret Dunkley (28 May 1866 – 10 March 1927) was an Australian telegraphist and labor organizer.
, Australia. She was the daughter of William James Dunkley, a boot importer, and Mary Ann Regan, both from London, England. She was educated at Catholic girls schools.
She began to work for the Postmaster-General's Department in 1882. She studied telegraphy
and became an operator in 1888, and worked in Melbourne metropolitan post and telegraph offices. In 1890 she qualified as a telegraphist and was promoted to a position in the Chief Telegraph Office. While working as a telegraphist in the early 1890s, she became aware of the unequal pay and working conditions of the female operators. Learning of efforts by women telegraphists in New South Wales
to achieve equality in pay and status, she formed a committee to advocate for similar improvements in the Post and Telegraph Department of Victoria. While her efforts resulted in pay increases for the women operators, they did not achieve equality with the male operators, and the resulting controversy resulted in her being transferred to a remote post office.
In 1900, Dunkley and other operators established the Victorian Women's Post and Telegraph Association in order to advocate for equal pay and working conditions. Mrs. Webb, a postmistress, was elected president, and Dunkley was elected vice president and spokesperson (1900–1904). She was elected as a delegate to a conference of telegraphists in Sydney in October 1900, and there presented her case for equality under the new Commonwealth Public Service conditions. While some at the conference opposed her, she was able to secure the support of Parliament, and, as a result, a provision for equal pay for female telegraphists and postmistresses was included in the Commonwealth Public Service Act of 1902. The Victorian Women's Post and Telegraph Association continued to exist within the Australian Commonwealth Post and Telegraph Association, first as a state association and then a state branch of the federal body, until 1920.
On 22 December 1903, Dunkley married Edward Charles Kraegan, secretary of the New South Wales and Commonwealth Post and Telegraph associations (1885–1904), and left the Post and Telegraph service. The couple had a daughter, born in 1904, and a son born in 1906. Louisa Margaret Dunkley Kraegan died on 10 March 1927, in Longueville, Sydney, and is buried in Northern Suburbs Cemetery.
The Victorian federal electorate of Dunkley
is named after her.
Biography
Louisa Margaret Dunkley was born in Richmond, MelbourneMelbourne
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...
, Australia. She was the daughter of William James Dunkley, a boot importer, and Mary Ann Regan, both from London, England. She was educated at Catholic girls schools.
She began to work for the Postmaster-General's Department in 1882. She studied telegraphy
Telegraphy
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages via some form of signalling technology. Telegraphy requires messages to be converted to a code which is known to both sender and receiver...
and became an operator in 1888, and worked in Melbourne metropolitan post and telegraph offices. In 1890 she qualified as a telegraphist and was promoted to a position in the Chief Telegraph Office. While working as a telegraphist in the early 1890s, she became aware of the unequal pay and working conditions of the female operators. Learning of efforts by women telegraphists 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 achieve equality in pay and status, she formed a committee to advocate for similar improvements in the Post and Telegraph Department of Victoria. While her efforts resulted in pay increases for the women operators, they did not achieve equality with the male operators, and the resulting controversy resulted in her being transferred to a remote post office.
In 1900, Dunkley and other operators established the Victorian Women's Post and Telegraph Association in order to advocate for equal pay and working conditions. Mrs. Webb, a postmistress, was elected president, and Dunkley was elected vice president and spokesperson (1900–1904). She was elected as a delegate to a conference of telegraphists in Sydney in October 1900, and there presented her case for equality under the new Commonwealth Public Service conditions. While some at the conference opposed her, she was able to secure the support of Parliament, and, as a result, a provision for equal pay for female telegraphists and postmistresses was included in the Commonwealth Public Service Act of 1902. The Victorian Women's Post and Telegraph Association continued to exist within the Australian Commonwealth Post and Telegraph Association, first as a state association and then a state branch of the federal body, until 1920.
On 22 December 1903, Dunkley married Edward Charles Kraegan, secretary of the New South Wales and Commonwealth Post and Telegraph associations (1885–1904), and left the Post and Telegraph service. The couple had a daughter, born in 1904, and a son born in 1906. Louisa Margaret Dunkley Kraegan died on 10 March 1927, in Longueville, Sydney, and is buried in Northern Suburbs Cemetery.
The Victorian federal electorate of Dunkley
Division of Dunkley
The Division of Dunkley is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was created in 1984 and is named for Louisa Margaret Dunkley, a trade unionist and campaigner for equal pay for women. It is located in...
is named after her.
Further reading
- Baker, J. S. Communicators and Their First Trade Unions (Sydney, 1980); Men, Machines, History: The History of the Early Telegraph and Post Office Associations of Australia (State Library of New South Wales).