Georgianna Kathleen Symonette (4 April 1902 – 14 May 1965) a Bahamian suffragist, was the founding chairwoman of the Women's Branch of the Progressive Liberal Party and founding member of the Women's Suffrage Movement. In 2012, The Bahamian government issued a series of postage stamps to honor the women who campaigned to gain universal adult suffrage. Symonette appeared on the 25 cent stamp.

Early life and education

Georgianna Kathleen Symonette was born on 4 April 1902 in

Wemyss Bight Wemyss Bight (6 April 1990 – 15 April 2009) was a British-bred, French-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She was successful in her only start as a two-year-old in 1992 and developed into a top-class middle-distance performer in the ...

, Eleuthera, to Olivia M cKinney and Alexander Symonette. ( An edit is needed here as there seem to be a bit of confusion.The Bahamas Civil Register lists Olivia's surname as Major, in Olivia's birth record, her marriage record and also in Georgianna's birth record. Georgianna's father's name was George E (Enoch) Symonette in her birthrecords as well as the marriage record to Olivia. Georgianna's grandfather was Alexander.) Symonette attended the government school in Wemyss Bight. After Symonette finished her schooling, she was an assistant teacher there. Symonette relocated to

Nassau Nassau may refer to: Places Bahamas *Nassau, Bahamas, capital city of the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence Canada *Nassau District, renamed Home District, regional division in Upper Canada from 1788 to 1792 *Nassau Street (Winnipeg), ...

to pursue nursing as a career at Bahamas General Hospital (now called Princess Margaret Hospital).

Suffragist

Along with

Mary Ingraham Mary "May" Ingraham (30 July ''or June'' 1901 – 26 March 1982) was a Bahamian suffragist who, among other things, was the founding president of the Bahamas Women's Suffrage Movement. Suffragist Along with Georgianna Symonette, Eugenia Loc ...

Eugenia Lockhart Eugenia Louise Lockhart O.B.E. (born 17 June 1908) was a Bahamian suffragist who was the secretary of the Bahamian Women’s Suffrage Movement and secretary of the Women’s Branch of the Progressive Liberal Party. In 1960, Lockhart, toget ...

and Mabel Walker, Symonette founded the Women's Suffrage Movement.

Later life, recognition, death

Symonette died aged 63 on 14 May 1965. Her son

Clement Maynard Hon. Sir Clement T. Maynard, (11 September 1928 – 2 October 2009), was a Deputy Prime Minister of the Bahamas (1985–92),

was the Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas from 1985 to 1992, and Symonette's granddaughter Allyson Maynard Gibson assumed the position of Attorney General and Minister for Legal Affairs in 2012.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Symonette, Georgianna Kathleen 1902 births 1965 deaths Bahamian suffragists 20th-century Bahamian women politicians 20th-century Bahamian politicians People from Eleuthera Colony of the Bahamas people