Caroline Chisholm

Caroline Chisholm. One of Australia’s most notable women. Her picture was on the five dollar note. In 1838 Captain Chisolm became ill and while he was on sick leave the Chisolms came to Australia, which they felt offered a better life for their family, and settled in Sydney Town. At that time Sydney was a convict settlement. Mrs Chisolm was shocked at the situation of many immigrants, particularly women, who had come to start a new life, but without jobs or money, many lived on the streets. In 1841 she approached the governor, Sir George Gipps, to ask for help in finding a place to house immigrant women. Eventually he agreed and gave her an abandoned, rat-infested army barracks . In the first two years alone, she found jobs for more than a thousand women. She helped men and families also, but the single women were the most in need of help and protection. She set up refuges for women who needed help, and safe, cheap family accommodation along the road to the goldfields, each about one day’s comfortable walk apart Caroline Chisolm helped thousands of immigrants in many ways, even teaching English to local Chinese people.