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Margaret Ogg (1863-1953) was born in Brisbane. Her father
had moved from Maitland NSW to become the minister of the
newly built Ann Street Presbyterian Church in 1856. Little
is known of her early life, but she became a writer, journalist,
a leader in the cultural life of Brisbane and a champion of
women's rights.
She joined the Women's Christian Temperance League, which
established a Queensland Branch in 1886, and had its own rooms
in the City. Primarily concerned with controlling alcohol
abuse in the State, the League's broader agenda was the welfare
of women and children, including voting rights. In 1891 Margaret
helped the WCTU form a Colonial Suffrage Department but stressed
their non-political involvement.
In 1903 Margaret Ogg became a founding member and secretary
for the Queensland Women's Electoral League, a position she
held for 30 years. She is remembered as "versatile, intellectual,
public-spirited, hard-working, with a sparkling wit, wonderful
sense of humour even in difficult situations".
Margaret edited
the women's section of the United Grazier for a number of years,
which led to her visiting and corresponding with women in the
country. With a female companion she travelled widely by train
and her own sulky, campaigning for women's suffrage.
She was heckled and then debarred from meetings, so she addressed
the crowds outside the halls from her sulky, coping with hecklers
and telling one man he 'obviously hated women and should refrain
from wedlock as his father did before him'. As well as the
vote which they achieved in 1905, QWEL campaigned for equal
pay, the establishment of bush nursing homes, and a chair
of domestic science among other things. They also lobbied
the Premier to raise the age of consent to 17.
Margaret was at the forefront of these campaigns and was instrumental
is getting the first women elected to Parliament.
Margaret Ogg was the first President of the Lyceum Club Brisbane,
when it was formed in 1919 and before that of the Brisbane Women's
Club.
She remained an active member of the Brisbane political and
cultural scene almost until her death in 1953. Her home at
Albion was a well-known meeting place. She did not seek fame
but was one of a group of women who set out to secure reforms
for women and children, and kept on until they won - a victory
for all isolated, unknown women throughout the State.
Joan Cook
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