An Autobiography

"An Autobiography" by Catherine Helen Spence is a personal memoir written during the late 19th century, detailing the life and experiences of one of Australia’s early feminist and social reform advocates. The book begins with Spence's reflections on her childhood in Scotland, her family's migration to South Australia, and her subsequent growth as a writer, teacher, and political thinker. It captures her formative years, experiences with education, family dynamics, and the socio-political context of her time. The opening of the autobiography paints a vivid picture of Spence's early life, sharing memories of her childhood in Melrose, Scotland, and her family's decision to migrate to South Australia when she was just fourteen. Spence emphasizes the influence of her parents and her education on shaping her ideals and ambitions. She describes her happy upbringing, despite the struggles her family faced, including her father's financial difficulties. The narrative sets the stage for her later achievements and reflects on the personal and societal challenges she encountered while striving for reform, equality, and women's rights in her new homeland. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Catherine Helen Spence was a Scottish-born Australian author, teacher, journalist, politician, leading suffragist, and Georgist. Spence was also a minister of religion and social worker, and supporter of electoral proportional representation. In 1897 she became Australia's first female political candidate after standing (unsuccessfully) for the Federal Convention held in Adelaide. Called the "Greatest Australian Woman" by Miles Franklin and by the age of 80 dubbed the "Grand Old Woman of Australia", Spence was commemorated on the Australian five-dollar note issued for the Centenary of Federation of Australia.