16 Facts About Isabella Goldstein

Isabella Goldstein was named after her maternal grandmother, Isabella Hutcheson and followed by six other children.

Isabella Goldstein lived at Melville Forest until her marriage a year later and received an equal share of her father's estate.

Jacob and Isabella Goldstein were involved in the Charity Organisation Society for many years from 1887.

At a charity conference in 1897, Jacob read a paper written by Isabella Goldstein, "United and Systematic Charity" in which she argued that scientific principles should be applied to preventing poverty, charity from all sources should be coordinated and work should be found for poor families rather than just giving them temporary relief.

Isabella Goldstein was an early feminist and suffragist and co-founded the United Council for Woman Suffrage.

Isabella Goldstein was a member with Annette Bear-Crawford of the Victorian Women's Suffrage Society, formed on 22 June 1884 with Henrietta Dugdale as president.

Isabella Goldstein brought up her more famous daughter, Vida, as a feminist and suffragist and involved Vida in the collection of signatures for the Women's Suffrage Petition.

Isabella Goldstein took particular care of the families in the slums of Collingwood, accompanying Strong on visits to Collingwood in 1891 and talking with women who did sweatshop work at home.

Isabella Goldstein was a committee member of the National Anti-Sweating League, which first met in July 1895 and campaigned for changes to labour laws to provide a minimum wage and limitation to working hours for women and men working in factories as well as women who took in piecemeal work at home.

In those later years, Isabella Goldstein focussed on her Christian Science work, supported Vida in her causes and helped her daughter, Elsie, and her husband, Henry Hyde Champion.

Isabella Goldstein helped Champion and Elsie Belle open the Book Lovers' Library in 1896, which Elsie mainly managed and employed mostly women.

Isabella Goldstein died at her South Yarra home on 12 January 1916, where she lived with her daughter, Vida.

Isabella Goldstein's legacy was as a suffragist and feminist mentor to her daughters Vida and Elsie as well as her commitment to social reform.

Isabella Goldstein was among the little band of pioneers that made the way easier for other women social welfare workers.

Isabella Goldstein fought in the days when progressive women's views were not received with the kindly consideration awaiting them today.

Isabella Goldstein was the heart and soul of the anti-sweating movement, and the women workers owe much of their emancipation from their worst conditions to her.