Leontine Cooper (22 April 1837 – 12 March 1903) was a teacher,

trade union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...

organiser,

suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise, is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to v ...

and campaigner for women's rights in

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Life

Leontine Mary Jane Buisson was born 22 April 1837 in

Battersea Battersea is a large district in south London, part of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is centred southwest of Charing Cross and extends along the south bank of the River Thames. It includes the Battersea Park. History Batter ...

Surrey Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...

Frenchman The French people (french: Français) are an ethnic group and nation primarily located in Western Europe that share a common French culture, history, and language, identified with the country of France. The French people, especially the nati ...

Jean François (aka 'John Francis') Buisson and his

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

wife, Dorothy. Leontine was the eldest of their children and she grew up first in Battersea then in

Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...

. A younger sister was the author

Ada Buisson Ada Buisson (26 March 1839 – 27 December 1866) was an English author and novelist remembered today for her ghost stories. Biography Ada Buisson was born in Battersea in Surrey, the third-born child of French-born merchant Jean François ( ...

(1839-1866). She married Edward Cooper on 31 January 1866 in

Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, and extends from Watling Street, the A5 road (Roman Watling Street) to Hampstead Heath, a large, hilly expanse of parkland. The area forms the northwest part of the Lon ...

, north

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

and they emigrated to

about 1871. Leontine was employed as a

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

soon after her arrival in

, working first at the Albany Creek School, then as the

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

teacher at

Brisbane Girls Grammar School , motto_translation = Nothing without labour , address = Gregory Terrace , city = Spring Hill , state = Queensland , postcode = 4000 , country = Australia , coordinates = , type = Independent secondary d ...

. She was also a writer, with her short stories appearing in ''The Boomerang'' and in the mid-1890s she combined two of her interests, as she edited Queensland's only women’s suffrage newspaper, ''The Star''. Leontine was very well educated and was published several times on the 'letters to the editor' page of newspapers, having commented on issues of the day. From 1894, she was president of the Women’s Franchise League in Queensland. Leontine died on 12 March 1903 from pneumonia, two years before Queensland women gained the vote.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cooper, Leontine 1837 births 1903 deaths Australian suffragists Australian trade unionists