Thornton, Merle (1930-)

Field of activity
Academic, Feminist and Author
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-765073

Biographies

On 31 March 1965 Merle Thornton and Rosalie Bogner chained themselves to the Regatta Hotel bar rail to protest for women’s rights. They wanted to liberate public bars from being men-only. The two protestors were both mothers of two and married to university lecturers. They were refused service, the publican faced a fine of £10-£20 if he served them with liquor, but were bought a beer by sympathetic male patrons. Their action became the starting point for women's liberation in Brisbane. It is now recognised as one of the defining moments of the feminist movement in Australia. A post-graduate student in Philosophy at the University of Queensland, Thornton went on to establish the Equal Opportunities for Women Association in April 1965. She also introduced the teaching of Women’s Studies in Australia in 1973 and was the special guest of the Queensland Government and speaker at the 70th celebration of International Women’s Day in 1999. Besides her academic writing Thornton has also written episodes for the television drama series Prisoner and has written and produced documentaries. Her stage play Playing Mothers and Fathers had a successful season at the Carlton Courthouse Theatre (Victoria) in 1990. Merle Thornton, the mother of actor Sigrid, returned to the Regatta Hotel, that now has a room named after her, for the launch of her first novel After Moonlight in 2004.

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

Resources for Merle Thornton

Resources by Merle Thornton (2)

  1. After moonlight / Merle Thornton
    Thornton, Merle, 1930-
    [ Book : 2004 ]
    At 33 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 18.5)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 18.5)

  2. Merle Thornton interviewed by Maryanne Dever and Margaret Henderson
    Thornton, Merle, 1930-
    [ Sound : 2011 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 12.715)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 12.715)

Resources about Merle Thornton (4)

  1. Merle Thornton interviewed by Maryanne Dever and Margaret Henderson
    Thornton, Merle, 1930-
    [ Sound : 2011 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 12.584)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 12.584)

  2. Portraits of Merle Thornton, Collingwood, Victoria, 19 January 2011 / Greg Power
    Power, Greg, 1974-
    [ Photograph : 2011 ]
    Languages: No linguistic content
    View online
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.909)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 8.909)

  3. Merle Thornton at her home, Collingwood, Victoria, 19 January 2011 [picture]
    Power, Greg, 1974-
    [ Photograph : 2011 ]
    Languages: No linguistic content
    View online
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.176)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.176)

  4. Merle Thornton in the courtyard of her home, Collingwood, Victoria, 19 January 2011 / Greg Power
    Power, Greg, 1974-
    [ Photograph : 2011 ]
    Languages: No linguistic content
    View online
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.117)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.117)

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  1. Thornton
    Created by petaZadow, 70 items.

  2. Thornton
    Created by warrenr004, 9 items.

  3. Merle
    Created by WenMac, 1 item.

  1. Thornton, Merle
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.165)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.165)

  1. Website: Australian Women in War
    www.womenaustralia.info
    Matching pages:
    View 8 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.104)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.104)

  2. Website: Australian Women's Archives Project
    www.womenaustralia.info
    Matching pages:
    View 14 matching archived pages
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.055)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.055)

  3. Website: Putting skirts on the sacred benches : women candidates for the New South Wales Parliament
    www.womenaustralia.info
    Matching pages:
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.047)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.047)

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  1. Portraits of Merle Thornton, Collin...
    Power, Greg, 19...
    [ Photograph : 2011 ]
  2. Merle Thornton at her home, Colling...
    Power, Greg, 19...
    [ Photograph : 2011 ]
  3. Merle Thornton in the courtyard of ...
    Power, Greg, 19...
    [ Photograph : 2011 ]
  1. Living maths : the book of the videos / written by Merle B*arra Thornton and based on the thought, research and development of the Yolngu community ; principal consultant Dr. Helen Verran ; consultants, Merrkiyawuy Ganambar ... [et al.]
    Thornton, Merle
    [ Book : 1996 ]
    At 8 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)

  2. Gender in the economics curriculum / written by Merle Thornton with the help of Jan Harper and Kay Rollison
    Thornton, Merle
    [ Book : 1994 ]
    At 3 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.239)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.239)

  3. Living maths : the book of the videos : based on the thought, research and development of the Yolngu community / Merle Barra Thornton ; principal consultant Helen Verran ; consultants: Merrkiyawuy Ganambarr ... [et al.]
    Thornton, Merle Barra
    [ Book : 1996 ]
    At UQ Library
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.186)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.186)

  4. Work and consciousness
    Thornton, Merle
    [ Book : 1980 ]
    At AIATSIS Library
    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: 0.074)

    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: 0.074)

  1. Living maths
    Yirrkala Community School
    [ Video : 1995 ]
    At 16 libraries
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.287)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.287)

  2. The Sikh hat trick : for general staff
    University of Melbourne. Equal Opportunity Unit
    [ Video : 1987 ]
    At 5 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: 0.055)

    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: 0.055)

  3. The Sikh hat trick : for academics
    University of Melbourne. Equal Opportunity Unit
    [ Video : 1987 ]
    At 5 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: 0.055)

    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: 0.055)

  4. The Sikh hat trick / made by the Equal Opportunity Unit in collaboration with the Centre for the Study of Higher Education, The University of Melbourne
    University of Melbourne. Centre for the Study of Higher Education
    [ Video : 1987 ]
    At 2 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: 0.041)

    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: 0.041)

  1. Imagination the everyday art: conversation. [Paper in: People Like Us. Schultz, Julianne (ed.).]
    Thornton, Merle; Thornton, Sigrid
    Griffith Review
    [ Article : 2005 ]
    View online
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.194)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.194)

  2. Scenes from a Life in Feminism
    Thornton, Merle
    Hecate
    [ Article : 1999 ]
    View online (conditions apply)
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.157)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.157)

  3. Beverly hillbilly: sure he's a crackpot--who in Hollywood isn't? But Billy Bob Thornton (filmmaker, actor, musician, men's wear designer) is a very gifted crack pot
    Ginsberg, Merle
    W
    [ Article : 2003 ]
    View online (conditions apply)
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.098)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.098)

  4. Consciousness raising, the unconscious and Juliet Mitchell
    Thornton, Merle
    Hecate
    [ Article : 1975 ]
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.083)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.083)

  1. [Biographical cuttings on Merle Thornton, academic, writer and playwright, 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: 0.433)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.433)

  2. Papers of William Morris Hughes
    Hughes, W. M. (William Morris), 1862-1952
    [ Unpublished : 1865-1958 ]
    View online
    At National Library
    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: 0.063)

    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: 0.063)

  3. Historical Faculty Files
    University of Utah. Vice President for Academic Affairs Office
    [ Unpublished : 1920 ]
    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: 0.008)

    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: 0.008)

  1. ANOTHER NEW MEMBER. From Merle Thornton, [?] street, Longreach.
    The Longreach Leader (Qld. : 1923 - 1938) Saturday 19 February 1938 p 25 Article
    ... ANOTHER NEW MEMBER. From Merle Thornton, [?] street, THORNTON. Dear Uncle Jim, "Would you kindly ... I still do. "Wishing the Corner the best of luck, your fond niece, MERLE THORNTON. Welcome to the Corner. Merle. "Bluebell" has been taken so choose another pen-name. I enjoyed Christ- mas ... 182 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.702)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.702)

  2. (Sent in by Merle Thornton, Quail Street, Longreach). A SONG OF JOY.
    The Longreach Leader (Qld. : 1923 - 1938) Saturday 19 February 1938 p 25 Article
    ... (Sent in by Merle Thornton, Quail Street, Longreach). A SONG OF JOY. Singing in the summer time, Carolling in the Spring, Finding, with the "Winter's rime. Joy is everything. That's the way to meet the day, That's the way to go Ask the Throstle on the spray, He will tell you so. (3 points) . ... 55 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.363)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.363)

  3. COURSING HINDMASH ISLAND MEETING
    The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) Thursday 22 May 1930 p 7 Article
    ... Hindmarsh Island yesterday. Results:- First Ties (continued Merle Appledor d. New Bullet. Second Ties-Eleanor d. Buck Jones Polynaise d. Ginger Collins, Watteinga d. Merle Appledor. Seml-Finals - Polynaise d. Eleanor; Waiteinga. a bye. Final-Messrs. C. Thornton and S. Pal lant's bk b Polynaise, by Markham ... 79 words
    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.016)

    This resource may have relevance to your query (score: 0.016)