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Cowan, Edith Dircksey (1861–1932)
On 2 August in 1861 was born in Western AustraliaIn 1868 - Edith mother's died in childbirth.
In 1876 - her adolescence was shattered.
On 12 November 1879 Edith married St George's Cathedral.
In 1890 His appointment in as Perth police magistrate.
From 1880 to 1891 they had four daughters and a son.
In the 1890's Edith became involved in voluntary organizations.
In 1894 she was the Karra Katta Women's Club's first secretary.
From 1891 to 1894 she worked with the Ministering for Children's League and the House of Mercy for unmarried mothers (Alexandra Home for Women )
In 1906 A foundation member of the child's protection society.
In 1907 - which set up the Children's Court.
In 1909 - she pioneered its day nursery for working mother's children, she was also an initiator of the Women's Service Guild.
In 1915 - She was among the first women appointed to its bench, she also an early woman justice of the peace.
In 1920 - she constantly urged the appointment of women to such positions.
In 1917 - she was vice-president to when she resigned.
In 1916 - which led finally to the opening of the King Edward Memorial Hospital for Women.
In 1911 - She was secretary of the new hospital advisory board.
In 1911 - she was prominent in the creation of the Western Australian National Council of Women.
From 1913-21 - she was its president and vice-president until her death.
in 1916 - She was a foundation member of Co-Freemasonry in her State, and the first female member of the Anglican Social Questions Committee from 1916 and a co-opted member of synod from 1923.
In 1903 - Cowan went overseas.
In 1912 - She went Britain and Europe.
In 1925 - Went the United States of America as an Australian delegate to the sixth convention of the International Council.
In 1920 - She took on a wide range of war work for which she was appointed O.B.E.
In 1920 - legislation ended the legal bar to women entering Parliament.
In the 1921 - elections Cowan was one of five women candidates.
in 1923 - She was as a private member opened the legal profession to women.
In the 1924 elections, West Perth business interests stood a strong candidate in T. A. L. Davy .
In 1927 - She failed again A Labor candidate.
In 1926 - Cowan was a founder of the (Royal) Western Australian Historical Society and contributed to its journal—her daughter Dircksey was its first keeper of records.
In 1929 - She was active in planning the State's centenary celebrations.
On 18 October 1937 Survived by her husband.
On 9 June 1932 - She died and was buried in the Anglican section of Karrakatta cemetery.
