Lillie Goodisson
Encyclopedia
Lillie Elizabeth Goodisson née Price ( - 10 January 1947) was a Welsh Australian nurse and a pioneer of family planning
in New South Wales
.
Goodisson was born in Holyhead
, Wales
. She trained as a nurse and at age 19 married London physician Lawford David Evans. Soon after they moved to Auckland
, New Zealand, where they started a family. The couple and their two children moved to Melbourne in 1895, and in 1897 established in Myrnong private hospital at St. Kilda. Her husband died in 1903 and thereafter she went to Western Australia
where she met and married her second husband, Albert Elliot, Goodisson in 1904. They lived in Geraldton
until Albert Goodisson went to Batavia in September 1913 to receive treatment for an illness, he died in 1914 leaving little to his wife, she borrowed money from her friend Ivy Brookes and returned to Melbourne.
She was involved in patriotic causes during the first World War, however her finances did not improve, and she took another loan from Brookes to establish a library at Elwood
in Melbourne. Debts and ill health forced its liquidation
in 1924. Goodisson moved to Sydney to be with her daughter in 1926. She joined the Women's Reform League and with Ruby Rich, Marion Louisa Piddington and Anna Roberts founded the Racial Improvement Society, which later (1928) became the Racial Hygiene Association of New South Wales
. The association was involved in promoting sex education
, preventing and eradicating venereal disease
and the education of the public in eugenics. Goodisson served as general secretary for the association. She advocated the selective breeding of future generations for the elimination of hereditary disease and defects and campaigned unsuccessfully for the segregation and sterilization of the mentally deficient and for the introduction of pre-marital health examinations. Although Goodisson campaigned for her association's eugenics
goals, her own interest in the topic is not clear; her main interests were in contraception
and politics.
In 1932 Goodisson unsuccessfully stood for the seat of Newcastle as the Social Reform party's candidate. In 1933 the association established a birth control clinic in Sydney which Goodisson described as the first in Australia; however, Piddington had established a birth control clinic in Melbourne two years earlier. The clinic served married women, providing diaphragm
s so that unwanted pregnancies would not be terminated by illegal abortion
s. The activities of the clinic were controversial; it received government subsidies only to have them withdrawn. Piddington's Melbourne clinic was forced to close in 1943 when the rubber used to make diaphragms was needed for war efforts
; the Sydney clinic remained open. Goodisson remained active in the association until her death in 1947; however the organisation's activities were greatly reduced during the war and did not regain momentum until the 1960s. In 1960 the association was renamed the Family Planning Association of Australia.
Goodisson was also an active member of the National Council of Women of New South Wales, the Travellers' Aid Society
, the Good Film League of New South Wales, and the Sydney Health Week and Mental Hygiene Council.
Family planning
Family planning is the planning of when to have children, and the use of birth control and other techniques to implement such plans. Other techniques commonly used include sexuality education, prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, pre-conception counseling and...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Goodisson was born in Holyhead
Holyhead
Holyhead is the largest town in the county of Anglesey in the North Wales. It is also a major port adjacent to the Irish Sea serving Ireland....
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. She trained as a nurse and at age 19 married London physician Lawford David Evans. Soon after they moved to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand, where they started a family. The couple and their two children moved to Melbourne in 1895, and in 1897 established in Myrnong private hospital at St. Kilda. Her husband died in 1903 and thereafter she went to Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
where she met and married her second husband, Albert Elliot, Goodisson in 1904. They lived in Geraldton
Geraldton, Western Australia
Geraldton is a city and port in Western Australia located north of Perth in the Mid West region. Geraldton has an estimated population at June 2010 of 36,958...
until Albert Goodisson went to Batavia in September 1913 to receive treatment for an illness, he died in 1914 leaving little to his wife, she borrowed money from her friend Ivy Brookes and returned to Melbourne.
She was involved in patriotic causes during the first World War, however her finances did not improve, and she took another loan from Brookes to establish a library at Elwood
Elwood, Victoria
Elwood is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Port Phillip...
in Melbourne. Debts and ill health forced its liquidation
Liquidation
In law, liquidation is the process by which a company is brought to an end, and the assets and property of the company redistributed. Liquidation is also sometimes referred to as winding-up or dissolution, although dissolution technically refers to the last stage of liquidation...
in 1924. Goodisson moved to Sydney to be with her daughter in 1926. She joined the Women's Reform League and with Ruby Rich, Marion Louisa Piddington and Anna Roberts founded the Racial Improvement Society, which later (1928) became the Racial Hygiene Association of New South Wales
Racial Hygiene Association of New South Wales
The Racial Hygiene Association of New South Wales was an Australian based association founded in 1926 by Lillie Goodisson and Ruby Rich of the Women's Reform League. The association was originally known as the Racial Improvement Society until 1928...
. The association was involved in promoting sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
, preventing and eradicating venereal disease
Sexually transmitted disease
Sexually transmitted disease , also known as a sexually transmitted infection or venereal disease , is an illness that has a significant probability of transmission between humans by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex...
and the education of the public in eugenics. Goodisson served as general secretary for the association. She advocated the selective breeding of future generations for the elimination of hereditary disease and defects and campaigned unsuccessfully for the segregation and sterilization of the mentally deficient and for the introduction of pre-marital health examinations. Although Goodisson campaigned for her association's eugenics
Eugenics
Eugenics is the "applied science or the bio-social movement which advocates the use of practices aimed at improving the genetic composition of a population", usually referring to human populations. The origins of the concept of eugenics began with certain interpretations of Mendelian inheritance,...
goals, her own interest in the topic is not clear; her main interests were in contraception
Contraception
Contraception is the prevention of the fusion of gametes during or after sexual activity. The term contraception is a contraction of contra, which means against, and the word conception, meaning fertilization...
and politics.
In 1932 Goodisson unsuccessfully stood for the seat of Newcastle as the Social Reform party's candidate. In 1933 the association established a birth control clinic in Sydney which Goodisson described as the first in Australia; however, Piddington had established a birth control clinic in Melbourne two years earlier. The clinic served married women, providing diaphragm
Diaphragm (contraceptive)
The diaphragm is a cervical barrier type of birth control. It is a soft latex or silicone dome with a spring molded into the rim. The spring creates a seal against the walls of the vagina.-Use:...
s so that unwanted pregnancies would not be terminated by illegal abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
s. The activities of the clinic were controversial; it received government subsidies only to have them withdrawn. Piddington's Melbourne clinic was forced to close in 1943 when the rubber used to make diaphragms was needed for war efforts
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; the Sydney clinic remained open. Goodisson remained active in the association until her death in 1947; however the organisation's activities were greatly reduced during the war and did not regain momentum until the 1960s. In 1960 the association was renamed the Family Planning Association of Australia.
Goodisson was also an active member of the National Council of Women of New South Wales, the Travellers' Aid Society
Travelers Aid International
The Travelers Aid movement began in St. Louis, Missouri, under the leadership of Mayor Bryan Mullanphy. Its purpose was to provide assistance to American pioneers and new immigrants who became stranded on their journeys...
, the Good Film League of New South Wales, and the Sydney Health Week and Mental Hygiene Council.