Caroline Chisholm

Caroline Chisholm (1808-1877) was an early Australian humanitarian and was widely admired in old Sydney town. Chisholm became a mother of nine and a strong Roman Catholic.

Caroline Jones was born in 1808, the daughter of a wealthy English farmer .She had always been encouraged to think for herself and to care for others by her father. Unfortunately her father died when Caroline was quite young, but her mother, Mrs Jones, had kept the family farm in Northampton shire after her husband's death. Although life was not luxurious it was comfortable and they were better off than others.

Caroline first met Archibald Chisholm at a ball close to Caroline's farm. Archibald’s grandparents were Scottish educated land-owning highlanders but lost their money due to politics. When Archibald had grown he joined the Indian army.

Archibald did have not have much time to get to know Caroline before he thought he would be called back to India for the army, but before he left he formally asked Caroline's Mother Mrs Jones for her daughter’s hand in marriage.

But Caroline had a few things to say for herself. She agreed to marry Archibald as long as he promised to support her in her jobs and to treat her as a equal. In these times it was quite rare for a husband to consider his wife as an equal or partner but Caroline gave Archibald a month to think it over and finally the wedding was arranged.

However Caroline did do something in return for Archibald’s promise. She had at the time been of protestant religion but Archibald was a Catholic so Caroline made an important decision to convert to Catholicism.

At the wedding Caroline wore a white gown with a shinning blossom in her auburn hair. She was described by many to be very attractive. Later she was even asked to marry by another admirer before she refused him insisting she was quite happily married.

Archibald was 13 years older than Caroline but he kept his word to her. They both had a common bond, for they both had lost their fathers earlier in life.

Eventually Archibald was called back to India and shortly afterwards Caroline joined him in Madras. India was even then one of the world’s most poor countries. Caroline realised there was a shocking difference between the life of the poor and the life she had suddenly been thrust into.

She attended many tea parties and regimental balls with the other officers’ wives. She was on a path devoted to social life and the other necessities of an officer’s wife.

Yet she could never walk down a street without arms belonging to the poor reaching out to beg. She could never turn a corner without facing the sight of children sleeping in doorways.

One day with a shock she realised the some of these children were the daughters of British soldiers. Devastating questions ran through Caroline's head. “ Did not the Army authorities care that their soldiers’ children were begging on the streets?”. The answer to this was no.

Caroline decided that it was God's plan for her to start a school for these girls. When Caroline told Archibald of her idea he was worried that they would become social outcasts by following this plan. Yet he remembered his marriage promise to Caroline and decided to help her.

Caroline’s plan for the girls she started to teach was to secure them paid employment with better marriage opportunities and happier lives. In May 1838 Caroline gave birth to a son, christened with the name of his father. The following year she bore William, her second son.(At the end of Caroline’s life she had 3 stillborn and 6 children.)

The heat of India was affecting the health of her and her children, so Archibald took a leave from his job and they set out for the colony of New South Wales.

The Chisholms found a home for their children and themselves quite close to the centre of Sydney. Caroline often went for walks and was devastated by what she saw. Women littered the streets sleeping in door ways.

Caroline saw how helpless they were, most of them had come from England only to find a life of begging before them. Caroline felt their pain and yet again decided it was God’s plan for her to help the less fortunate girls of Sydney.

Caroline started her campaign by handing out pamphlets and writing to government officials. Word quickly spread and some of Caroline’s emotional writing was published in The Sydney Morning Herald.

People began to realise the problem that faced Sydney. They began to open their eyes to the women on the streets. Many kind people donated a tin of biscuits or cup of tea to the homeless girls, except Caroline felt that more was needed. She thought it was God’s plan for her to start a house to look after the girls.

Carolines first proposal for this house to Governor Gibbs was denied but Caroline went back twice to argue her point. Eventually Governor Gibbs presented Caroline with the empty immigration barracks.

The immigration barracks when Caroline first visited them were terribly filthy, plagued with rats and vermin. Caroline concluded that she would have to make do with what the governor gave her.

Caroline worked had to clean the barracks and when they were finished the girls started flooding in to be saved from a life on the streets. Caroline there taught them how to cook and clean, speak correctly, a little bit of numeracy and more. When the girls were trained the next part of Caroline’s mission arrived. Now that they were properly qualified for the job the girls had to find a place of work. Caroline saw potential in the bush farms of Australia, so she organised drays to deliver the girls to the farms to become paid farm maids.

Caroline continued to help the women of Australia for many years . After a while she felt her job was done. Now there was hardly any homeless girls left on Sydney's streets. She and Archibald returned to England in 1846 where Caroline worked with the English government on improving the conditions on ships destined for Australia.

Sadly in 1877 Caroline Chisholm passed away. Over a hundred years later she is known as one of Australia's bravest pioneering woman and the loyal ‘Immigrant’s Friend”. She found homes for over 11,000 people and touched many hearts.She achieved outstanding achievement, devoting all of her great personal qualities to something she truly believed in.

References

• De Vries, Susanna Strength of Spirit -Pioneering Women of Achivment, Milleniun Books 1995
• Australians - Caroline Chisholm ABC Web Site http://www.abc.net.au/btn/australians/chisholm.htm
• Caroline Chisholm http://www.webspawner.com/users/carolinejones/