Dunkley, Louisa Margaret (1866-1927)

Also known as
Kraegen, Louisa Margaret (1866-1927)
Field of activity
Trade unionist; public servant; telegraphist; trade union official; women's activist
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-765093

Biographies

DUNKLEY, LOUISA MARGARET (1866-1927), union leader and feminist, was born on 28 May 1866 at Richmond, Melbourne, daughter of William James Dunkley, boot-importer, and his wife Mary Ann, née Regan, both from London. After education at suburban Catholic girls' schools, Louisa Dunkley entered the Postmaster-General's Department in 1882 as a junior assistant. She studied telegraphy and in 1888 qualified as an operator, working in Melbourne metropolitan post and telegraph offices until 1890. She was then transferred to the Chief Telegraph Office and, after passing the necessary proficiency tests, was appointed as a telegraphist.

View the full record at Australian Dictionary of Biography Online

Louisa Dunkley co-founded the Victorian Women's Post and Telegraph Association in 1900. A campaigner for equal pay for women, she joined the Postmaster-General’s Department in 1882. By 1890 Dunkley had passed the proficiency tests and transferred to the Chief Telegraph Office as a telegraphist. In the 1890s she helped to establish a committee of women telegraphists and postmistresses to present a case for equal pay, with their male colleagues in the Post and Telegraph Department of Victoria. They received increases in salary, though not equality with men telegraphists. Because the male union discourages female members the Victorian Women’s Post and Telegraph Association was established in 1900 with Dunkley as vice-president. She represented the association at the telegraphists’ conference in October 1900 at Sydney, where she met her future husband, Edward Charles Kraegen, secretary of the New South Wales and Commonwealth Post and Telegraph associations from 1885 to 1904.

  • 1882 Joined the Postmaster-General's Department as a junior assistant.
  • 1888 Studied telegraphy and qualified as an operator.
  • 1888 - 1890 Worked in Melbourne metropolitan post and telegraph offices.
  • 1890s Became interested in unionism from her experience of unfair conditions in pay and status of women workers in the Victorian public service. With colleagues presented a case for equal pay. They received an increase in salary, though not equality with men.
  • 1890 Passed proficiency test and transferred to the Chief Telegraph Office as a telegraphist.
  • 1900 One of the founders of the Victorian Women's Post and Telegraph Association.
  • 1900 - 1904 Vice-President of the Victorian Women's Post and Telegraph Association
  • October 1900 Elected a delegate to attend all-colonies telegraphists conference held in Sydney. Her advocacy of equal pay and status under new Commonwealth conditions was endorsed.
  • 22 December 1903 Following her marriage to Edward Charles Kraegen, they had two children, she resigned from the Postmaster-General's Department.
  • 1984 Federal electorate seat of Dunkley was created.

View the full record at Australian Women's Register

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    The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) Thursday 9 July 1903 p 4 Family Notices
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