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Emma Miller was a pioneer trade union organiser, suffragist, Women's rights activist, seamstress, labour activist and key figure in organisations which led to the founding of the Australian Labor Party in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Emma Miller was a seamstress and women's rights and labour activist, she was born at Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England [1][2], her parents were Daniel Holmes, Martha, née Hollingworth. Eldest of four children, she walked with her Chartist father to political meetings up to ten miles 16 km away. She married Jabez Mycroft Silcock on 15 September 1857 at Chesterfield Register Office, a bookkeeper with whom she had eloped[3]. They had four children whom she eventually supported in Manchester by sewing twelve hours a day for six days a week. Emma was a widow and now married William Calderwood on 30 August 1874 at Salford, Lancashire[4]. Emma and William migrated to Brisbane, Colony of Queenland arriving on 5 March 1879 aboard the barque, Selkirkshire[5][6]. She married a third time to Andrew Miller a widower whom she married at Brisbane Registry Office on 21 October 1886[7].
She helped to form a [8] female workers' union in 1890, in 1891 she gave evidence to the royal commission into shops, factories and workshops and marched with shearers' strike prisoners when released. She was the first woman to travel west organizing for the Australian Workers' Union and was the first woman member and a life member of the Brisbane Workers Political Organization. Emma Miller championed equal pay and equal opportunity for women and was foundation president of the Woman's Equal Franchise Association (1894-1905), urging legislation to grant women the franchise on the principle of one adult one vote she became president of the Women Workers Political Organisation (Qld) after 1903. In 1908 she was one of two women to attend a Commonwealth Labor conference, only the second time a woman was a delegate.
Emma Miller led a large contingent of women to Parliament House on Black Friday of the 1912 strike, she reputedly stuck a hatpin into the horse of Police Commissioner Cahill who was thrown and injured. As president of the Queensland branch of the Women's Peace Army, she was a delegate to the Australian Peace Alliance Conference in Melbourne in 1916.
She was called Mother Miller and the grand old labor woman of Queensland because of her steadfast position as a Labor agitator. Though very frail in 1915 she campaigned in the Murilla State electorate for J. S. Collings. She believed that the basis of the labour movement was industrial and stressed that it was of equal importance to women and men.
In January 1917 Emma Miller travelled to Toowoomba for several weeks rest and died on 22 January 1917[9]. The flag on the Brisbane Trades Hall flew at half mast and the Australian Meat Employees' Union conference was adjourned. Emma was buried at Toowong cemetery[10][11]. On 22 October 1922 a publicly funded marble bust of her was unveiled in the Trades Hall.
Emma Holmes was born 26 June 1839 at Chesterfield, England to parents Daniel Holmes and Martha Holingsworth.
Married three times firstly to Jabez Mycroft Silcock in the UK.; they had four children named Thomas Silcock, George Silcock, Mary Edith Silcock and Catherine [Kate] Silcock. Jabez died 1870 at Salford England, Ref Free-BDM England June quarter Volume 8d page 68
Second marriage in England to William Calderwood 30 August 1874, he came to Australia with Emma and her children; he died on 5 June 1880 Brisbane. I have only one known child named George Calderwood.
Third marriage was to Andrew Miller on 21 October 1886 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, no children.
After two marriages in the UK she decided to migrate to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.
Shipping records reveal she arrived as Emma Calderwood; age 36 years; accompanied by her husband who was 37. The children from Emma's first marriage named:- Mary Silcock; age 17; Kate Silcock 14 years; George Silcock 11; arrived with them in Brisbane on 5 March 1879, on the ship "Selkirkshire" Note -Thomas her eldest son is missing on the shipping list; however, he was here in Australia for his death occurred in Queensland in 1890.
Death occurred 22 January 1917; buried Toowong cemetery, Brisbane with Jean Calderwood; alongside her family.
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