Kate Dwyer

Who was Kate Dwyer?

Catherine Winifred Dwyer was an Australian educator, suffragist, and labour activist.

Kate was born Tambaroora, New South Wales and educated at Hill End Public School. In 1880 she began teaching at Tambaroora Public School, she taught at numerous public primary school in New South Wales until she married fellow school teacher Michael Dwyer in 1887. From 1894 they lived in Sydney where Kate became a member of the Womanhood Suffrage League of New South Wales, her sisters Annie Mackenzie Golding and Belle Golding were also members.

She was a founder of the Women's Progressive Association in 1901, the organisation promoted the entry of women into legal professions and equal benefits for women following divorce. Intereseted in women's working conditions she also founded the Women Workers' Union for home and fringe factory workers. She was active in the "no conscription" during World War I.

In May 1921 she was one of the first female justices of the peace appointed in New South Wales.

A street in the Canberra suburb Cook is named in her honour.