Macdonald, Louisa

Entry type: Person
Entry ID: AWE4347

(1858 – 1949)

Born 10 December 1858, Arbroath, Forfarshire, Scotland
Died 28 November 1949, London, , England
Occupation Educationist, Suffragist, Women's rights activist

Summary

Louisa Macdonald was the first Principal of the Women’s College at the University of Sydney.

Details

As Principal of the Women’s College, Macdonald played an active role in university life. She was involved in the Sydney University Women’s Association, which she helped found in 1892; the University Women’s Society (University Settlement); and the Women’s Club.

During the 1890s she was also active in the Womanhood Suffrage League of New South Wales and the Women’s Literary Society.

In 1907 Macdonald was the first woman to stand for the University Senate, but was defeated.

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Events

1970
Bachelor of Arts with First Class Honours in classics, University of London
1970
Master of Arts, University of London
1970
Worked as a private tutor, and as a researcher in classical antiquities at the British Museum.
1970
Moved to Australia to become the founding Principal of the Women’s College, University of Sydney
1970 - 1910
While Principal of Women’s College, Macdonald continued to pursue her interest in classics, lecturing and cataloguing the Greek vases in the Nicholson Musuem of Antiquities.
1914 - 1915
Vice-President of the Classical Association of New South Wales
1919
Returned to London, where she joined the council of the University of London
1907
First woman to stand for the University of Sydney Senate, but was defeated

Archival resources

University of Sydney, Archives
- A mask/designed by L.M.
- Archives of the Women's College, University of Sydney
State Library of New South Wales
- Letters by Louisa Macdonald, 1892-1898

Published resources

Resource
- Trove: Macdonald, Louisa (18581210-19491128), http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-1203161
- Miss Louisa Macdonald 1858-1949, The Women's College, 2009, http://www.thewomenscollege.com.au/louisa.html
Resource Section
- Macdonald, Louisa (1858-1949), Alexander, H., 2006, http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A100245b.htm
Book
- Letters from Louisa: A Woman's View of the 1890s, Based on the Letters of Louisa Macdonald, First Principal of the Women's College, University of Sydney, Beaumont, Jeanette and W. Vere Hole, 1996
- The History of the Women's College within the University of Sydney, Hole, W. Vere and Anne H. Treweeke, 1953
Pamphlet
- A mask / designed by Louisa Macdonald ; verses composed by C.J. Brennan and J. le Gay Brereton, Macdonald, Louisa, 1913

Related entries

Related Concepts
- Woman Suffrage
Related Organisations
- Australian Federation of Graduate Women - New South Wales (2009 - )
Founder
- Sydney University Women Undergraduates' Association (1899 - 1938)
- Women's College within The University of Sydney (1892 - )
Member
- Sydney University Women's Society (1891 - )
Related Women
- Barff, Jane Foss (1863 - 1937)
Membership
- Womanhood Suffrage League of New South Wales (1891 - )
Founded
- Sydney University Women's Association (1892 - 1909)
President
- Sydney University Women's Association (1892 - 1909)