Women's Liberation (WEL's predecessor)

Women’s Liberation T-shirt, screen-printed in Canberra, 1971. (Photo Gail Radford)

ASIO took photos of the women arriving for the first meeting of Canberra Women’s Liberation from a Panel Van parked across the street. The women were meeting at 30 Canning Street, Ainslie ACT on 6 June 1970. (ASIO files on Women’s Liberation Movement ACT-National Archives of Australia.)

30 Canning St Ainslie was the home of the Moratorium Movement in Canberra. ASIO bugged the phone here and also the phone of Elizabeth MacDougall (Biff Ward). The records of the telephone intercepts provide valuable information about the early history of Women’s Liberation in Canberra. (ASIO files on Women’s Liberation Movement ACT -National Archives of Australia.)

The ‘models’ for this poster were Biff Ward and her daughter Susannah. It does not have words; Biff said ‘it was a general statement about our power and determination’. Canberra Women’s Liberation poster, 1972. (Design Caroline Ambrus)

This is one of the many press clippings in the ASIO files. “Mrs. Elizabeth McDougal, of O’Connor, left speaks to an audience of about 70 who attended the Canberra Women’s Liberation meeting held at the Hughes Community Centre last night. Other speakers at the table, from left are the chairman, Mrs. Deidre Hunter, Mrs. Lorraine Merrony, of Farrer, and Mrs. Helen Robertson of Mawson.” (Canberra Times, 7 April 1971. ASIO files on Women’s Liberation Movement ACT-National Archives of Australia.)

This T-shirt is from the early 1970s. Women’s Liberation insistence that they be called MS was often controversial. (Photo Gail Radford)

Canberra Women’s Liberation poster advertising the activities planned for International Women’s Day. Their ‘demands’ are listed on the poster. Canberra, March 1972.

Street theatre, Petrie Plaza, Canberra, International Women’s Day, March 1972. (Julie McCarron–Benson collection)

Beryl Henderson explaining the Women’s Liberation ‘demands’, Petrie Plaza, Canberra, International Women’s Day, March 1972. (Julie McCarron–Benson collection)

Bobby Gledhill singing Glen Thomasetti’s equal pay song ‘Don’t be too polite girls’. Petrie Plaza, Canberra, International Women’s Day, March 1972. (Photo Julie McCarron-Benson collection)

Many of the children in this photo are from the Children’s Liberation group who had performed their own street theatre. Petrie Plaza, Canberra, International Women’s Day, March 1972. (Julie McCarron–Benson collection)

Women’s unpaid work was the theme of many other posters and screen-printed articles. (Design Caroline Ambrus)

These tea towels were made in the screen-printing workshop at the Canberra Women’s House, 12 Bremer Street, Griffith, and sold in Civic at stalls on Friday evenings to raise money to pay the rent. Canberra, 1970s. (Photo Gail Radford)

More articles which were sold to raise funds to pay the rent at the Women’s House. Canberra, 1970s. (Photo Chris Ronalds)

The Women’s Electoral Lobby (WEL) was established in early 1972. Many Women’s Liberation members joined WEL. In Canberra this included Gail Wilenski (Radford) who was WEL–ACT’s first Convenor and Susan Ryan who was one of its Deputy Convenors.

Jan Aitkin wearing a Women’s Liberation T-shirt at a meeting of WEL–NSW, Sydney. Early 1970s. (Photo Joan Bielski)

Pat Eatock came to Canberra to support the Aboriginal Embassy. She lived with her baby in the Women’s House. (Courtesy National Library of Australia)

Pat Eatock ran as an independent candidate for the ACT in the 1972 Federal Elections. Canberra Women’s Liberation rallied around to support her. (Caroline Ambrus made this poster. Canberra, November 1972)

Eileen Haley, who also lived in the Women’s House, wrote this election brochure. Canberra, November 1972.

Pat Eatock topped the WEL survey of candidates for the ACT. Many, who considered that women should vote for the Labor candidate, criticized them. (Eileen Haley wrote this leaflet to explain preferential voting. Canberra, November 1972)

The Superwoman T-shirts were screen-printed in 1973 for candidates for the position of adviser on women on the Prime Minister’s staff. Elizabeth Reid was appointed to the position and Sara Dowse worked for her in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Both were members of Canberra Women’s Liberation. (Photo Gail Radford.)

Women’s Liberation members marching with WEL–Diamond Valley, Melbourne, early 1970s. (Photo Sandy Turnbill (Kilpatrick))

There were many events for International Women’s Year in Australia and many members of Women’s Liberation went to the United Nations Conference in Mexico. (Photo Gail Radford)

‘Because We’re Women’, written by Joyce Stevens from Women’s Liberation in Sydney, was reproduced by WEL as a poster. (Courtesy Jessie Street National Women’s Library)

‘Position Vacant: Housewife’ was also reproduced by WEL as a poster. (Courtesy Jessie Street National Women’s Library)

The Canberra Women’s House moved to 3 Lobelia Street O’Connor in June 1975. (Caroline Ambrus designed this poster to advertise the new address)

Women’s Liberation marching in front of WEL, International Women’s Day, Pitt Street, Sydney 1980. (Search Foundation-Tribune, Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales)

The posters in the WEL history project collection were placed in the National Library of Australia in June 2010. The archive boxes in the background were provided by the NLA for documents in the collection.

Pat Eatock organized a reunion of members of Women’s Liberation in the Spanish Tapas Restaurant in Glebe, Sydney, on 9 June 2012. (Photo Gail Radford)

Rhonda Parkyns remembering the old days. Sydney, June 2012. (Photo Gail Radford)

L to R, Gail Radford (Wilenski), Christobel Hough and her mother Suzanne Dixon wearing T-shirts from the 1970s. Sydney, June 2012.

Early members of Canberra WL held their first reunion on 27/28 February 2014. L to R back row, Jo Aldridge, Robyn Craig, Trish Rees, Susan Magarey, Elizabeth Reid, Tamsin Donaldson, Lexie Bannikoff, Liese Baker (far right Biff Ward). Front row, Gail Radford, Carol Ambrus. (Photo Julia Ryan.)

This was a serious reunion, with a lot of discussion about what was past and what the future may hold. L to R, Margaret Ryan, Carol Ambrus, Gail Radford, Eileen Haley, Sara Dowse, Glenda Naughten. Canberra, February 2014. (Photo Julia Ryan)

Part of the display of memorabilia at the reunion. T-shirts and tea towels from WEL history project collection. In the centre, photos and items relating to Beryl Henderson. Other documents provided by Julia Ryan. Canberra, Feb 2014. (Photo Julia Ryan)

In a dark corner were the ASIO files on Canberra Women’s Liberation as well as files on individual members. They brought back many memories. In this photo Margaret Ryan is looking at copies of the old posters. (Photo Gail Radford)