Born on a farm near Northampton in May 1808, Caroline Chisholm was during her lifetime to become one of the most famous women of her generation. Through a combination of hard work, determination and skillful marshalling of evidence, she forced the British government to re-examine its policies toward the former penal colony of Australia.
Not content with bettering the lot of those who had already arrived in Australia (through the setting up of hostels for young women, and the development of a successful employment agency), she returned to England where she lobbied successfully for improvements in shipping practises. She also developed and ran a scheme whereby those planning to emigrate could borrow money for their passage and for the purchase of land and equipment once they arrived.
Unlike other prominent social reformers, Caroline Chisholm was neither well-connected nor wealthy. Her achievements (which also included the development of a school in India) were the product of a single-minded vision and compassion, augmented by a strong Christian faith.
An inspiration to the women of her day (including Florence Nightingale who modelled herself upon Caroline) she is now being discovered by a new generation interested in the history of Britain and Australia in the nineteenth century. She serves as an archetype for all women, and a reminder of the often unrecognised contribution that women have made in the field of social development.
Joanna Bogle is a Catholic writer, broadcaster and journalist. Her many publications include biographies of Emperor Charles and Empress Zita of Austria-Hungary (A Heart for Europe) and of Fr Werenfried van Straaten, the founded of Aid to the Church in Need (Fr Werenfried - a Life), as well as her best-selling A Book of Feasts and Seasons (now in its 3rd edition and 7th printing). She is a popular lecturer, and a frequent contributor to programmes on television and radio.
