Person Spence, Catherine Helen (1825 - 1910)
- Born
- 1825
- Died
- 1910
- Occupation
- Reformer and Writer
Summary
Catherine Helen Spence was born in Scotland in 1825. Her family migrated to South Australia in late 1839. Spence's writing career began with a series of novels, and moved on to literary criticism and social commentary. In 1872, along with Caroline Emily Clark, Spence founded the Boarding-Out Society in South Australia. She was also a member of the State Children's Council, established in 1886. In 1893, Spence gave a paper on 'The Care of Children in Australia' at the International Congress of Charities, Corrections and Philanthropy in Chicago.
Details
In 1893, Spence gave a paper on 'The Care of Children in Australia' at the International Congress of Charities, Corrections and Philanthropy in Chicago. In her presentation, Spence remarked that
in Australia, and especially in Victoria, there is a great deal more overriding of the rights of parents for the child's good than I fancy you democratic Americans would agree to; because if there is any principle that Australia has taken firm hold of, it is that the interests of the child shall be paramount.
Spence, who had lived with her parents, raised three families of orphaned children in succession. She was also prominent in the women's suffrage movement.
Related Entries
Published Resources
Edited Books
- Spencer, Anna Garlin and Charles Wesley Birtell (eds), The care of dependent, neglected and wayward children. Being a report of the Second Section of the International Congress of Charities, Corrections and Philanthropy, Chicago, June 1893., A digitised preview of this publication is available on the web through GoogleBooks., The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 1894. Details
Online Resources
- Eade, Susan, 'Spence, Catherine Helen (1825 - 1910)', in Australian Dictionary of Biography Online Edition, Australian National University, 2006, http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A060190b.htm. Details
Sources used to compile this entry: Eade, Susan, 'Spence, Catherine Helen (1825 - 1910)', in Australian Dictionary of Biography Online Edition, Australian National University, 2006, http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A060190b.htm; Spencer, Anna Garlin and Charles Wesley Birtell (eds), The care of dependent, neglected and wayward children. Being a report of the Second Section of the International Congress of Charities, Corrections and Philanthropy, Chicago, June 1893., A digitised preview of this publication is available on the web through GoogleBooks., The Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore, 1894.
Prepared by: Cate Elkner
Created: 21 August 2009, Last modified: 4 November 2009