''The Dawn'' was a monthly newsletter published in

Western Australia Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...

in the early 20th century by

Bessie Rischbieth Bessie Mabel Rischbieth, (née Earle; 16 October 187413 March 1967) was an influential and early Australian feminist and social activist. A leading or founding member of many social reform groups, such as the Women's Service Guilds, The Aus ...

as the official organ of that State's

Women's Service Guilds The Women's Service Guilds (WSG), initially known as the Women's Service Guilds of Western Australia, was an organising body of the feminist movement in Australia. Founded in 1909, they integrated the campaigns for improved status and welfare o ...

, and later also of the

Australian Federation of Women Voters The Australian Federation of Women Voters (AFWV) originally the Australian Womens Register in 1921 became the AFWV in 1924. Also known as The Australian Federation of Women's Societies for Equal Citizenship it was founded as a national lobby grou ...

History

''Dawn'' or ''The Dawn'' was founded in 1919 and edited by Bessie Rischbieth in

Perth, Western Australia Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...

as the official organ of the Women's Service Guilds of Western Australia (WSGWA), an umbrella organization which brought together representatives of various Western Australian women's non-party (and non-Socialist) organizations. When the Australian Federation of Women's Societies, of which Rischbieth was a founder and its first president, was established, ''Dawn'' became its newspaper also. The Australian Federation of Women's Societies, which had its origins as early as 1919 and affiliated with the

International Women's Suffrage Alliance The International Alliance of Women (IAW; french: Alliance Internationale des Femmes, AIF) is an international non-governmental organization that works to promote women's rights and gender equality. It was historically the main international org ...

and British Dominions Women Citizens' Union, was a peak association of Australian non-political feminist organizations, which was founded at a national meeting in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

in 1921 at which the WSGWA and the "Women's Non-Party Association" of South Australia were the principal delegates and tri-ennially thereafter. The organization, which was also briefly known as the Australian Women's Federation for Equal Citizenship, became the Australian Federation of Women Voters in 1927, by which name it is best known. Bessie Rischbieth was manager and editor for most of the paper's history, apart from a period in 1929 when Coralie Clarke Rees took over the reins, followed by Romola Teagle from 1930 to 1934. Ethel Payne, who was honorary secretary of the Australian Federation of Women Voters, took over briefly in 1935 while Rischbieth was overseas, and Dorothea Cass from 1939 while Rischbieth was on another overseas trip. Despite declining circulation, which had necessitated special fundraising, ''Dawn'' was still being published in 1940. The last issue was published in 1967 which carried obituaries to Bessie Rischbieth.

References

1919 establishments in Australia 1967 disestablishments in Australia Defunct magazines published in Australia Feminism in Australia Feminist magazines Magazines established in 1919 Magazines disestablished in 1967 Magazines published in Perth, Western Australia Newsletters Women's magazines published in Australia {{italic title