Smyth, Brettena (1840-1898)

Field of activity
Advocate and Suffragist
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-765060

Biographies

Brettena was a mature woman of 43 when she became involved in politics - by then a widow, a business owner, and the mother of several children. In 1888 she formed the Australian Women's Suffrage Society, later enveloped by the Victorian Women's Franchise League. A freethinker, Smyth was opposed to orthodox religion and strongly advocated the use of birth control. In 1893 she published The Limitation of Offspring, and she sold rubber pessaries at her grocery shop. Smyth was a competent public speaker and a respected Melbourne identity in the 1890s.

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

Related people and organisations

Australian Women's Register

Resources for Brettena Smyth

Selected resources (4)

Australian Women's Register

  1. Mrs J B Smyth of Oxley Road1891 Women's Suffrage Petition Public Record Office Victoria : Mrs J B Smyth of Oxley Road
    Harris, Helen
    Published: Public Record Office Victoria
    Series: http://wiki.prov.vic.gov.au/index.php/Smyth
  2. Smyth, Bridgetena (Brettena) (1840c -1898)Australian Dictionary of Biography Online : Smyth, Bridgetena (Brettena) (1840c -1898)
    Kelly, Farley
    [2006]
    Published: Australian National University
    Series: http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120001b.htm
  3. They Are But Women: The Road to Female Suffrage in Victoria
    School of Historical Studies, University of Melbourne
    [2007]
    Published: School of Historical Studies, University of Melbourne
  4. 200 Australian Women: A Redress Anthology
    Radi, Heather
    [1988]
    Published: Women's Redress Press

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  1. BLOOD SMYTH family history
    Created by Jann.Gallen, 133 items.

    BDMs, snippets to corroborate current findings

  2. Carangara Copper Mine
    Created by Jann.Gallen, 16 items.

    also news pertaining to John Penrose Christoe and his wife (nee Blood Smyth)

  3. Descendants Patrick & Elizabeth Cavanagh arr SA 1840
    Created by PaulFoord, 45 items.

    Patrick Cavanagh b. c1809 and Elizabeth Stafford b. c1814 Ireland arrived in Port Adelaide on 18-Jun-1840 on the 'Thirteen'

  1. Smyth, Bridgetena (1840-1898)
    ... SMYTH, BRIDGETENA (BRETTENA) (1840?-1898), campaigner for women's health reform ...
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 0.262)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 0.262)

  2. Smyth, Brettena (1840-1898)
    ... Brettena was a mature woman of 43 when she became involved in politics - by then a widow, a ...
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.15)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.15)

  3. The Australian Women’s Suffrage Society (1888-1898)
    ... The Australian Women’s Suffrage Society was founded in 1888 by Brettena Smyth. Smyth had previously ...
    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)

  1. Mrs. Smyth and the body politic / By Farley Kelly
    Kelly, Farley
    Women and Labour Conference. Papers
    [ Conference Proceedings, Article : 1980-2009 ]
    At Melbourne Lib Serv
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.044)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.044)

  1. Website: 200 Australian Women
    www.200australianwomen.com
    Matching pages:
    • Bridgetena Smyth - 5/11/2007
    • ... [Bridgetena Smyth]Brettena Smyth 1840 - 1898 birth control advocate Bridgetena Smyth (1842-1898), campaigner...
    View 5 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.023)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.023)

  2. Website: Australian Women's Archives Project
    www.womenaustralia.info
    Matching pages:
    View 10 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.022)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.022)

  3. Website: Office for Youth at the centre
    www.youth.vic.gov.au
    Matching pages:
    View 2 matching archived pages
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.01)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.01)

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  1. Feminism and the family : Brettena Smyth / Farley Kelly ; edited by Eric Fry
    Kelly, Farley
    [ Book : 2009 ]
    At Melbourne Lib Serv
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.245)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.245)

  2. Bridgetena (Brettena) Smyth
    [ Book ]
    At Melbourne Lib Serv
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.168)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.168)

  3. Mrs. Smyth and the body politic / By Farley Kelly
    Kelly, Farley
    Women and Labour Conference. Papers
    [ Conference Proceedings, Article : 1980-2009 ]
    At Melbourne Lib Serv
    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: 0.047)

    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: 0.047)

  4. Strength of purpose : Australian women of achievement from Federation to the mid-20th century / Susanna De Vries
    De Vries, Susanna, 1935-
    [ Book : 1998 ]
    At 127 libraries
    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: 0.004)

    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: 0.004)

  1. Family Notices
    The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1956) Wednesday 16 February 1898 p 1 Family Notices
    ... »ted 20 Mais ltetiuiise it ill pact \ i llouers SMYTH - On the 15th February, at the residence of her son Charles Smyth, Cricketers' Hotel Morwell, Brettena, widow of the late W.T. Smyth, of 35 Errol-st North Melbourne, 2nd daughter of the late John Rior ... 1085 words
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.007)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.007)