Home » Themes » People » Humanitarian
Emma MillerPrint Page 
The plaque commemorates the site of Emma Miller`s last speech.
Emma Miller (1839 - 1917) was a woman's rights, labour activist, and an anti-conscription campaigner. Emma Miller advocated equal pay and rights for women in Queensland, and was foundation president of the Women's Equal Franchise Association. Emma Miller is remembered for leading a protest march to Parliament House during the Strike of 1912.
During the protest there were skirmishes between the police and protesters, with Emma Miller using her hatpin to unseat Police Commissioner Cahill from his horse. The last speech by Emma Miller was at Queens Park in Toowoomba, where she spoke of women's rights. Two days later she died. Her funeral was attended by the then Premier T.J Ryan and members of his Cabinet. Emma Miller is buried in Toowong Cemetery.
Location
| Address: | Margaret & Lindsay Streets, Queens Park, East Toowoomba, 4350 |
|---|---|
| State: | QLD |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -27.558461 Long: 151.963405 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Humanitarian |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Friday 7th December, 2007 |
|---|
Emma Miller
Suffragist, Union Organiser and Champion of the Rights of Man
"The world is my country, to do good is my religion"
These words sum up the humanitarian conviction Emma lived during her lifetime.
Emma Miller was born in England in 1839 and arrived in Brisbane in 1879. She quickly became aware of the inequalities people suffered in Queensland. There had been no universal legislative programme for the improvement of the population.
With friends, Emma advocated involvement in the working and political conditions not only of women, but also men. Equal pay and universal franchise were the goals.
Emma was president of the Women`s Equal Franchise Assocaition (1894 - 1905). Her greatest triumph was seeing women`s right to vote in both Federal (1902) and State (1905) elections.
Emma Miller died in Toowoomba on 22 January 1917. At the time of her death she was recognised as the Mother of the Labour Movement. Her last public speech was at the Toowoomba Botanic Gardens on 20 January 1917 when she urged Toowoomba and Darling Downs women "to play a part in the Labour movement as much as men."
Emma was buried at the Toowong Cemetery on 24 Janaury 1917 with hundreds of mourners including Premier T. J. Ryan and other Cabinet Ministers in attendance.
