At the present moment when we are celebrating the biÂcentenary of our country and receiving the congratulations and plaudits of other nations on our progress, it is only natural that the vision should stray to the past and scan the pages of Australian History, which, it is said, is now in the making, and we could well cultivate more general interest in the knowledge of the work of the pioneers. Many of these men and women who gave of their best in the interest of the country of their birth or adoption have had their names kept fresh in the pages of history by repetition and memorials and statues erected to their memory, and others, alas, are forgotten and unknown in these days.
Among the notable women whose achievements deserve perÂpetuation in the memory of Australians and British alike is Mrs. Archibald Chisholm, formerly Caroline Jones and known as the Emigrants' Friend. From two little brochures of her life we are given an outline of her national work-one compiled by Miss Margaret Swann, a member of the Royal Australian Historical Society, which could well be republished in thousands of copies, and another, a Catholic Truth Society pamphlet published in London and written by G. Elliot Anstruther, which could also be republished similarly. A penny book written by one Trelawney Saunders at Charing Cross, London, in 1852, entitled 'The Story of the Life of Mrs. Caroline Chisholm, the Emigrants' Friend and her Adventures in Australia'-if a copy of this could be discovered might make a third publication to ensure more knowÂledge of Mrs. Chisholm's life. To come to the story of her life, Caroline Jones (afterwards Mrs. Archibald Chisholm) was a native of Wootton in NorthampÂtonshire and was born in May, 1808. Little is told of her parentage beyond the fact that her father was William Jones of influential Yeoman stock. Her parents seem to have been particuÂlarly upright people and their home life an exemplary training ground for their young family. Charity was a virtue practised by both her parents and Caroline relates when she was about seven years old her father brought to his home a poor maimed soldier who was nursed and tended. He explained to his children that the soldier had given his strength and health to the service of his country and therefore was worthy of their respect and esteem. The children were much enthralled by his tales of far countries, he praised the climate, scenery and natural wealth of these distant lands awaiting population. He dwelt on the glories of the British Colonies and what a fine 'thing it would be for the poor people of England to emigrate to these places where by industry and perseverance they might become independent and comfortable. The imagination of the child Caroline Jones was so fired by these tales that she was wont to play 'Emigrants' as a favourite pastime. She says: 'I made boats of broad beans, expended all my money in touchwood dolls, removed families, located them in the bed quilt and sent the boats filled with wheat back to their friends, of which I kept a store in a thimble case.' On the malleable imagination of a child of seven was impressed the vision of a constructive national work in the future years.
William Jones dying when Caroline was still a child, her education was taken in hand by her mother. Her training was successful and her charitable activities found a response in the heart of her daughter.
Some time before her father's death he had sheltered an old French priest whom he found being pelted in the streets by a crowd. During his stay in their home he became fast friends with Caroline and on the day he left he prayed God 'to bless this house and especially this child' and laid his hand in blessing on her head. When at 22 years of age Caroline met Captain Archibald Chisholm, an officer in the East India Company's Service, and he asked her to become his wife, she told him she was interested in public matters and that she wished to remain free to study social conditions and to make efforts to raise the position of the poorer classes. He protested his wife should always be free to carry on such work if she chose, and during the whole of their married life he cordially supported and supplemented her philanthropic efforts to help suffering humanity. It was about this time Caroline was instructed and was received into the Catholic Church, Captain Chisholm being a member of an old Catholic family and a man of sterling worth and chivalry.
Two years after their marriage Captain Chisholm received an appointment in Madras, India.
Appalled by the temptations to morality in the Military Stations at that time and the danger to young girls and the orphans of soldiers, Mrs. Chisholm set about to remedy this and established schools for these young girls. This work developed into a large institution called the Female School of Industry. Captain Chisholm in these undertakings gave his wife not only unstinted sympathy but financial help, and at first bore with his wife the entire burden and expense. The School of Industry was admirably organised and managed to the smallest detail. Mrs. Chisholm all through her activities seemed to be gifted with an exceptional vision and power of administration The matron could not read or write. This counted as an administrative virtue as it enabled committees of internal management to be formed from the girls themselves who attended to the stores, did practical shopkeeping, registered sickness, and accepted many responsibilities which appear to have been carried out excellently. After a time the school was able to get outside help. Girls trained in the Institution were eagerly sought for as servants or as wives to non-commissioned officers.
In 1838 Captain Chisholm and his family were compelled to leave India for health reasons. After a visit to Van Diemen's Land they eventually settled in Sydney and it is mainly with Sydney and the Australian colonies that the work of reform and colonisation of Caroline Chisholm has to do. Sydney of those days was very different from the fine city of today. There was no Municipal Council to attend to the streets, and in every quarter of the town dead fowls, rats, cats and dogs were lying round often in pools of water.
Walking round the town Captain and Mrs. Chisholm met a party of Highlanders who were suffering the ordinary disabilities of emigrants and in addition unable to speak English. Captain Chisholm, who was of a Highland family, spoke to them in their own language and found they were destitute. He lent them some money to purchase tools so that they might commence business as wood cutters. This incident drew the attention of Captain and Mrs. Chisholm to the condition of the emigrants. The girls particularly interested Mrs. Chisholm and finding the destitute and pitiable condition that many of them were in and the dangers to morality to which they were exposed, as far as possible she secured positions for them. When that failed she took them into the shelter of her own home. Although her home was small and her income limited at one time she had as many as nine of these girls under her roof atone time. In the beginning of this work Mrs. Chisholm had the help of her husband, but he was recalled to India and his regiment ordered to China on active service. It was considered best for the health of the three children and Mrs. Chisholm that they should remain in the milder climate of New South Wales.
Shiploads of immigrants continued to arrive and the welfare of the young women arriving was unprovided for. These girls roamed the streets by day and at night crept into the caves round the domain and foreshores of the harbour. The little money they had, if any, being gone, twenty-two girls landed having no money at all and the combined wealth of 64 of these girls was 14 shillings and one penny halfpenny (14/11). Mrs. Chisholm saw that the work of providing for these girls was more than the work of one person and the first thing was to establish a home for the reception of the incoming girls and women. She approached the Governor, Sir George Gipps. He did not give her much encouragement at first and some time after consented to give an interview to 'the lady labouring under amiable delusions' as she had been described by a gentleman of the city. Governor Gipps had received letters from Mrs. Chisholm, but this, the first personal interview, was a surprise to him. He said, 'I expected to see an old lady in white cap and spectacles who would have talked to me about my soul. I was amazed when my aide intro-duced a handsome, stately young woman who proceeded to reason the question as if she thought her reason and experience too worth as much as mine.'
At length a Government building was put at her disposal. It was a low wooden erection in which Mrs. Chisholm's apartment measured seven feet square. The place was infested with rats, and their unpleasant company prevented her resting. On the first night three alighted on her shoulder as she sat in bed. She tempted the rodents with some food placed in the middle of the room. 'I kept my seat on the bed,' she says, 'reading and watch-ing the rats until four in the morning.'
From such small and uncomfortable beginnings began the Female Immigrants Home in Sydney where as the accommodation increased nearly a hundred girls were housed. A free registry office and day school were formed in connection with it. The registry office was most necessary as previously women and men were engaged on board the ships and only verbal agreements made. Frequently dishonest employers refused to give the wages promised and the employees had no redress. The clear and businesslike methods of Mrs. Chisholm prevented such abuses. The day school that was founded was for the purpose of keeping emigrants and other children from the streets and was warmly supported by the leading clergymen of the city. Later the newspapers began to publish sympathetic accounts of the work being done in the home. The public then became interested and subscriptions flowed in.
A registry office for farmers was another of her activities, this was followed by the most courageous of her undertakings, viz., personally conducting large parties of immigrant settlers on long journeys into the bush in order to settle immigrants on the land and provide wives for existing settlers and personally super-intend the conditions under which the immigrants were being launched.
A single party of these immigrants led by her numbered 150. Government contributions came to about £150. Squatters lent their conveyances, inn-keepers would charge nothing for food and shelter, poor men made long journeys to give some present to the good genius of the undertaking. 'You don't know me Mrs. Chisholm,' said a boatman to her one day, 'but I know you and may my arm wither if I ever charge you a penny.' A Colonist, whose name should be remembered, William Bradley, told her to draw on him for money, food, or anything else she might require. So responsive to her noble work was the public generosity and kindness that Mrs. Chisholm's personal expenses in seven years came to less than £2/-/-. Her courage and resource-fulness on these long pioneering journeys with her cavalcade of settlers was remarkable, and in addition to her other gifts she had that of water divining and when faced with a scarcity told one of her men to dig here where she led them and water was found.
The difficulties of the conditions governing emigration placed many obstacles in Mrs. Chisholm's way, and in fact many of the settlers were 'emancipists', that is ex-convicts sent out for some trivial offence and leaving wives and families behind them, with little hope of ever seeing them again. Many of these emancipists made excellent settlers and Mrs. Chisholm saw that the only success for the stabilising of the colonisation was that of the family. It was henceforth her aim and work to promote legislation which was to re-unite scattered members of families. The rules and regulations imposed were so hard on emigrants, viz., £7/-/-tax on every child over a given number. Thus many had to be left behind in England with relatives or in workhouses, even when about to embark these poor emigrants found they were unable to pay the bounties.
The selling of land also hindered instead of helping the emigrants of small means. The minimum quantity that might be bought was 300 acres at fl /-/- an acre—quite beyond the reach of poor men. Mrs. Chisholm's farsightedness induced some of the large landowners to let emigrants have small farms of 15, 20 or 40 acres and to work even these areas she devised a System of Bush Partnerships which she thus explains: 'Let two friends or neighbours agree to work together until three acres are cropped dividing the work, the expense and the produce—this partner-ship will grow apace.' The results were so successful that without any direct pressure the Government saw the folly of the 300 acre minimum and began to sell the land in small lots.
Her next work was collecting voluntary information from the people of New South Wales to lay before the British public. Mrs. Chisholm travelled with her husband (he having retired from the Company's service) through the bush collecting histories and biographies telling in a simple and direct way the history of individuals and families. They were afterwards published, some as an index to the letter of appeal to Earl Grey. In 1846 Mrs. Chisholm left Australia in order to promote the cause she had had for so long at heart.
Tributes public and official poured in on her departure and a public meeting took place. On the committee formed to recognise her public services were eight members of the Legislative Council, the Mayor and Sheriff, 13 Magistrates and representatives of the leading merchants and other classes. Sir George Gipps gave his testimony thus: 'I cannot give a stronger evidence of the economy of people working for themselves than by referring to what has been done by Mrs Chisholm and I am glad of this opportunity of doing justice to that lady's exertions and do it with much greater pleasure and satisfaction, from having at the commencement of her labours thrown cold water upon her plans.' Thus the Governor made the 'Amende honorable'. Robert Lowe, afterwards Earl Sherbrooke, speaking in the Council, said, 'One person only in the Colony has done anything effectual--anything on a scale which may be called large-to mitigate this crying evil and national sin and to fix families on our lands instead of bachelors. And strange to say that one is a humble unpretending quiet working female missionary, an emigrant missionary-not a clerical one.'
On her arrival in England Mrs. Chisholm entered upon the seven most strenuous years of her life. Hundreds of letters came to her daily in the preparation of statements for the Home Government. The task she undertook might have appalled many men by its magnitude yet this woman faced this colossal work with her statesmanlike mind, courage and perseverance and at last her efforts were rewarded. Free passages for the liberated convicts' wives and families were obtained, besides helping them personally. The important society, The Family Colonisation and Loan Society, was launched, which in the first two years of its life emigrated more than a thousand parties to Australia. It was Caroline Chisholm's happy lot to draw to her side the ready sympathies of all the best women workers of the Victorian era and that her own early labours had influenced some of them in their several fields is shown in the instance of Florence Nightingale who was proud to designate herself the 'friend and pupil of Mrs. Chisholm'.
Mrs. Chisholm returned to Australia after seeing her Colonisation Society launched and to resume her activities in Australia. Failing health curbed her activities eventually, but the remarkable work she did has had tributes from many writers and Eneas MacKenzie, writing in 1852, says, 'On emigration Mrs. Chisholm has produced by indomitable perseverance, a deep impression, the results of which will be long acknowledged as it has given life, energy and moral character to an important rising colony. She found the stream polluted and she purified it.'
The Westminster Review pronounced the opinion that 'Mrs. Chisholm has done more for the moral regeneration of the Australian Colonies than all their clergy with their four bishops to boot'. Reading all this and much more between the lines the history of this noble woman shows the long persistence in the pursuance of an ideal-to uplift the less fortunate of her fellow creatures and redress the wrongs and disabilities from which they were suffering. In these days when immigration is such a burning question Caroline Chisholm's methods and work could well be given more publicity. Her far-sighted wisdom that family life is the foundation of the nation helped to make Australia what it is, but those sentiments are not in general belief today for family life is decaying unfortunately, and so the work of the pioneers of today is destroyed by the iconoclasts of tomorrow.
Caroline Chisholm was an outstanding figure in the early history of Australia and her work should not be relegated to the limbo of forgetfulness. Memorials have arisen to many of the pioneers and so memory has kept green their names in Australian history. She was not affluent in her later years for generous souls seldom are, but only ill-health and advancing years curbed her indomitable energy. She was granted a civil list pension of £100/-/-, not a very generous recognition of her selfless work for the Empire. Ten years later, on the 25th March, 1877, she died, and only four months later her devoted husband followed her. Mrs. Chisholm's grandchildren are in Sydney today and they may well be proud of their ancestress, 'The Emigrants' Friend', whose noble character and untiring and unselfish efforts have enabled many men and women to place their feet on the rungs of the ladder of success.
Activity - Which is your favourite image?
Explain why
Journal and reflect for 20 minutes of the following questions
Impact of Early Influences: How did Caroline Chisholm’s childhood experiences shape her later work and philosophy regarding emigration and assistance to immigrants?
Challenges for Women Immigrants: What specific challenges did women immigrants face during Caroline Chisholm's time, and how did her efforts address these challenges?
Philanthropic Initiatives: Evaluate the effectiveness of Caroline Chisholm's strategies, such as the establishment of the Female School of Industry and the Female Immigrants Home. What made these initiatives successful?
Legacy and Memory: Caroline Chisholm is remembered as 'the emigrants' friend.' Why is it important to keep her legacy alive in Australian history, and what lessons can contemporary societies learn from her work?
Barriers and Support: Reflect on the societal and institutional barriers Caroline faced in her work. How did she overcome these challenges, and who were her key supporters?
Gender and Social Work: How did Caroline Chisholm’s gender influence her approach and reception in the predominantly male society of early Australia?
Modern Parallel: Can you think of a modern equivalent to Caroline Chisholm’s work in today’s global immigration crises? What similarities and differences exist in the challenges and solutions?
Discuss
Listen to the following song....
Song - Shine your light
Final Prayer
Gracious God, we thank You for the life and work of Caroline Chisholm, who served as a beacon of hope and support to immigrants and refugees. Her commitment to assisting the most vulnerable among us inspires us to act with compassion and empathy. Guide us to care for those who arrive at our shores seeking safety and a new beginning, just as Caroline did. Help us to break down barriers and build bridges of understanding and support, so that we may reflect Your love and kindness in all our actions towards refugees and immigrants. Strengthen our resolve to create a welcoming community that upholds the dignity and rights of every individual. Amen.
(Audio Available)
