Miller, Emma (1839-1917)

Also known as
Calderwood, EmmaHolmes, EmmaSilcock, Emma (1839-1917)
Field of activity
Women's rights activist, Union organiser and Suffragist; anti-conscriptionist; labour party organiser; pacifist; secularist; tailor/tailoress; trade union official; women's activist; women's suffragist
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-729057

Biographies

MILLER, EMMA (1839-1917), seamstress and women's rights and labour activist, was born on 26 June 1839 at Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England, daughter of Daniel Holmes, a Unitarian cordwainer, and his wife Martha, née Hollingworth. Eldest of four children, she walked with her Chartist father to political meetings up to ten miles (16 km) away; he influenced her to rebel against the existing social order. On 15 September 1857 at Chesterfield Register Office she married Jabez Mycroft Silcock, a bookkeeper with whom she had eloped. They had four children whom she eventually supported in Manchester by sewing twelve hours a day for six days a week. Emma, now widowed, married on 30 August 1874 at Salford, Lancashire, William Calderwood (d.1880), a stonemason. With her children, the couple migrated to Brisbane, arriving in March 1879. Her third husband was Andrew Miller (d.1897), a widower whom she married at Brisbane Registry Office on 21 October 1886.

View the full record at Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

Emma Miller was foundation president of the Woman’s Equal Franchise Association between 1894 and 1905. The vote for women in Queensland State elections was finally won in 1905; women had had the right to vote in Federal elections since Federation, and voted for the first time in the 1903 Federal election. On 2 February 1912, known as Black Friday, at the height of a general strike, Miller led a contingent of women to Parliament House, avoiding police with fixed bayonets. The women were charged by baton swinging police on their return from Parliament House. Miller reputedly stuck her hatpin into a horse ridden by the Police Commissioner, Patrick Cahill. Cahill fell from his horse and claimed to have been permanently injured. Direct political action was not Miller’s only cause. She was anti-militarist and opposed conscription in World War I. She believed that ‘those who make the quarrel should be the only ones to fight’. As vice-president of the Women’s Peace Army, Miller attended the Peace Alliance Conference in Melbourne in 1916. She also fought hard for free speech and civil liberties. During the First World War, Miller preached equal pay to those fearing that women would take the jobs of men away at the war.

  • 15 September 1857 Married Jabez Mycroft Silcock (dec.), they had four children
  • 30 August 1874 Married William Calderwood (dec. 1880)
  • March 1879 Migrated to Brisbane
  • 21 October 1886 Married Andrew Miller (dec. 1897)
  • 1890 Helped to form a female workers' union
  • 1891 Marched with shearers' strike prisoners when released
  • 1891 Gave evidence to the Royal Commission into Shops, Factories and Workshops
  • 1894 - 1905 Foundation president of the Woman's Equal Franchise Association
  • 1903 President of the Women Workers' Political Union
  • 1908 Delegate to the Commonwealth Labor conference
  • 2 February 1912 Led a contingent of women to Parliament House on 'Black Friday'
  • 1916 Delegate to the Australian Peace Alliance conference
  • 1916 - 1917 Campaigned against the conscription referendums
  • 22 January 1917 The flag at Brisbane's Trade Hall flew at half mast when Emma Miller died
  • 22 October 1922 A publicly funded marble bust was unveiled in the Trades Hall

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

Related people and organisations

Resources for Emma Miller

Selected resources (13)

Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

Australian Women's Register

  1. Family rediscovers grandma suffragetteBirth of our nation Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd : Family rediscovers grandma suffragette
    Jones, Chris
    [2001]
    Published: Queensland Newspapers Pty Ltd
    Series: http://www.thecouriermail.com.au/extras/federation/CMFedMiller.htm
  2. Miller, Emma (1839 - 1917)Australian Trade Union Archives University of Melbourne : Miller, Emma (1839 - 1917)
    Elford, Ross G.
    [2002]
    Published: University of Melbourne
    Series: http://www.atua.org.au/biogs/ALE1200b.htm
  3. Emma Miller200 Australian women : a Redress anthology Radi, Heather 37-38 : Emma Miller
    Young, Pam
    [1988]
    Published: Women's Redress Press Inc
  4. Proud to be a rebel : the life and times of Emma Miller
    Young, Pam, 1926-
    [1991]
    Published: University of Queensland Press
  5. Worth Fighting For!
    Fryer Library with research by Yorick Smaal
    [2008]
    Published: University of Queensland
    Series: http://www.library.uq.edu.au/fryer/worth_fighting/
  6. Women in Australia’s Working HistoryAustralian Workers' Heritage Centre Australian Workers' Heritage Centre : Women in Australia’s Working History
    [2003]
    Published: Australian Workers' Heritage Centre
    Series: http://www.australianworkersheritagecentre.com.au/07_education/working_women.htm
  7. Votes for women : the Australian story
    Lees, Kirsten.
    [1995]
    Published: Allen & Unwin
  8. 200 Australian Women: A Redress Anthology
    Radi, Heather
    [1988]
    Published: Women's Redress Press
  9. Australian Feminism: A Companion
    Caine, Barbara
    [1998]
    Published: Oxford University Press
  10. Miller, Emma (1839-1917)Australian Dictionary of Biography Online : Miller, Emma (1839-1917)
    Young, Pam
    [2006]
    Published: Australian National University
    Series: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A100497b.htm
  11. National Library of Australia Newspaper Microcopy Reading Room: [Biographical cuttings on Emma Miller, suffragette]
    BIOG
  12. John Oxley Library, Manuscripts and Business Records Collection, State Library of Queensland: Workers' Educational Association of Queensland Records (1913 - 1932)
    Records of the Workers Educational Association of Queensland, comprising: minutes of the Central Council Executive 1917-32; minutes of the Ipswich Branch 1913-18; correspondence and notes relating to the University of Queensland tutorial classes for workers and minutes of the Committee of management for tutorial classes. Also includes some records of annual conferences, educational conferences and the Workers' Educational Association Club. Marion Piddington's lectures on sex education are included.
    OM64-13

Resources about Emma Miller (3)

  1. Proud to be a rebel. Pam Young
    Young, Pam, 1926-
    [ Book : 1991 ]
    At 58 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 13.818)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 13.818)

  2. Emma Miller / lyric J. Crawford ; music J. W. Bellamy
    Crawford, Jim, 1908-1973
    [ Unpublished : 1900 ]
    At UQ Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.724)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.724)

  3. Portrait of Mrs. Emma Miller : [suffragette movement in Queensland]
    Unidentified
    [ Photograph ]
    View online
    At State Library of QLD
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.6)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.6)

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  1. Emma
    Created by jim1956, 1 item.

    Information relating to the White Star Line's mail ship "Emma" especially those voyages under the command of Capt Underwood

  2. Miller-Reid Family History
    Created by FayM1, 10 items.

    Information, articles and notices that mention ancestors in the Miller-Reid Family Tree

  3. GRANT Emma
    Created by Janetpat, 1 item.

  1. Workers' Educational Association of Queensland
    ... , fourteen of them were women, with feminist and socialist Emma Miller being one of them. Women soon ...
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.001)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.001)

  2. Women Workers' Political Organisation (1903-)
    ... their president, Emma Miller, WWPO members worked diligently to ensure that when women voted, in the ...
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0)

  3. Women's Equal Franchise Association (1894-1905)
    ... Emma Miller, a remarkable Queensland Labor woman, took her place, remaining President of the ...
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0)

  1. Website: 200 Australian Women
    www.200australianwomen.com
    Matching pages:
    • Emma Miller - 5/11/2007
    • ... Miller]Emma Miller 1839 - 1917 labour activist Louisa Emma Miller (1839-1917), labour activist...
    View 5 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.068)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.068)

  2. Website: Australian Women's History Forum incorporating Women's History Month
    www.womenshistory.com.au
    Matching pages:
    View 36 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.062)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.062)

  3. Website: Australian Women's Archives Project
    www.womenaustralia.info
    Matching pages:
    View 61 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.052)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.052)

  1. Emma / Jane Austen
    Austen, Jane, 1775-1817
    [ Book, Audio book, Sound : 1815-2011 ]
    Languages: English, Chinese, Italian, [16 others]
    read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
    At 168 libraries
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.288)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.288)

  2. Teaching literature in the grammar grades and high school / by Emma Miller Bolenius ..
    Bolenius, Emma Miller
    [ Book, Article : 1915 ]
    read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
    At Edith Cowan Uni
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.169)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.169)

  3. The Emma Miller Award for women unionists
    Williams, Barbara
    Hecate
    [ Article : 2000 ]
    View online (conditions apply)
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.124)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.124)

  4. Emma Miller Award for Elizabeth Eddy
    Advocate: Newsletter of the National Tertiary Education Union
    [ Article : 2008 ]
    View online (access conditions)
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.12)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.12)

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  1. 6223 Queensland Women's Adult Suffrage Address
    Miller, 1839-1917)
    [ Unpublished : 1905 ]
    Possibly online
    At State Library of QLD
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.279)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.279)

  2. [Biographical cuttings on Emma Miller, suffragette, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals]
    [ Published : 1900-1990 ]
    At National Library
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.19)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.19)

  3. Newell, Linda King
    Linda K. Newell
    [ Unpublished : 1804 ]
    View online (access conditions)
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.031)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.031)

  1. Memories and Anecdotes
    Sanborn, Kate, 1839-1917
    [ Book : 1915 ]
    read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.377)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.377)

  2. Dublin : condensed / Emma Miller
    Miller, Emma
    [ Book : 2002 ]
    At 13 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.362)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.362)

  3. Your voice in my head / Emma Forrest
    Forrest, Emma
    [ Book : 2011-2012 ]
    At 52 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.315)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.315)

  4. The mathematics of love / Emma Darwin
    Darwin, Emma
    [ Book, Audio book : 2006-2009 ]
    Languages: English, srp, Polish
    At 68 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.312)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.312)

  1. The mathematics of love / Emma Darwin
    Darwin, Emma
    [ Book, Audio book : 2006-2009 ]
    Languages: English, srp, Polish
    At 68 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.312)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.312)

  2. A secret alchemy / by Emma Darwin
    Darwin, Emma
    [ Book, Audio book : 2008-2009 ]
    At 54 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.292)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.292)

  3. A house in Corfu / Emma Tennant
    Tennant, Emma
    [ Book, Audio book : 2001-2003 ]
    At 45 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.268)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.268)

  4. Emma / Jane Austen
    Austen, Jane, 1775-1817
    [ Book, Audio book, Sound : 1815-2011 ]
    Languages: English, Chinese, Italian, [16 others]
    read online at Open Library/Internet Archive
    View online
    At 168 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.263)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.263)

  1. [?] Verse. Emma Miller Memorial.
    Worker (Brisbane, Qld. : 1890 - 1955) Thursday 2 August 1917 p 3 Article
    ... [?] Verse. Miller Memorial. To the sons of Labor, [?] In this sunny Queensland [?] To the women, and: faithful, We appeal to you In rhyme To femember Erhnia Miiier', Wjth f»«r licari so ttifl anil ... Chit«f, groat David Bowman, Slw tins le» tWs eartnly suherti. _ Biit the name o! Emma Miller We will ... 154 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.708)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.708)

  2. Emma Miller Memorial.
    Worker (Brisbane, Qld. : 1890 - 1955) Thursday 20 December 1917 p 11 Article
    ... Emma Miller Memorial. At the Trades Hall on Tuesday, December 11, the second public meeting ing was held relating to the Emma Miller Memorial. The secretary's re port was received nnd adopted with satisfaction from the meeting at the progress that had been made. Con sidering the continuous claim ... 188 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.707)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.707)

  3. EMMA MILLER MEMORIAL
    Worker (Brisbane, Qld. : 1890 - 1955) Thursday 12 July 1917 p 14 Article
    ... EMMA MILLER MEMORIAL The Federal elections have now wine aud ? and gone, upon which all attention, ... for the purpose. It is also hoped that iu the same bu*i-1- ing there will b? a David Bowman and Emma Miller Memorial Hall free of charge for the use of lectures and ed« ra.tional debates. The Valley ... 326 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.706)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.706)