Universal female suffrage and the 1889 revolution in the South Australian WCTU

Abstract

In 1889 a young American named Jessie Ackermann visited Australia on behalf of the World’s Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Her time in South Australia triggered an internal revolution within the Union, which involved the democratisation, professionalisation and politicisation of its structure and operations. These changes transformed the South Australian WCTU into an organised political force that embraced the goal of universal female suffrage and marshalled the resources necessary to achieve it. While the WCTU was not the only group that contributed to the campaign for women’s suffrage in South Australia, its contribution was a weighty and indispensable one: it was responsible for recruiting the large numbers of women that were required for the campaign’s success, broadening its base, and training a new group of women as active and vocal participants in the political process. While the WCTU has been acknowledged for its support of the Woman’s Suffrage League, the extent of its influence has been minimised and the impact of the changes that occurred within the group has been overlooked. These changes, introduced by Ackermann and carried through by Elizabeth Webb Nicholls and her supporters, are crucial to understanding the achievement of universal adult suffrage in South Australia.