Anderson, Maybanke (1845–1927)

Australian feminist reformer. Born Maybanke Susannah Selfe at Kingston-on-Thames, England, Feb 16, 1845; died in Paris, France, April 15, 1927; one of 3 children and only daughter of Bessie (Smith) Selfe and Henry Selfe (plumber); m. Edmund Kay Wolstenholme (timber merchant), 1867 (div. 1893); m. Francis Anderson (philosophy professor at University of Sydney), 1899; children: (1st m.) 7 (4 died of tuberculosis-related diseases in infancy).

At 9, moved with family to Sydney, Australia; deserted by husband, opened Maybanke College for young ladies to support herself and children; served as president of Womanhood Suffrage League (1893–97); founded biweekly feminist journal, Woman's Voice (1894); served as the founding president of the Kindergarten Union, which opened its 1st free kindergarten (1896); was also appointed as the 1st registrar of Teachers' Central Registry (1897); under name "Lois," began writing for Sydney Morning Herald, covering topics ranging from politics to travel; published Australian Songs for Australian Children (1902); as founding president of Playgrounds Association, authored Play and Playgrounds (1914), to publicize the cause; published The Root of the Matter: Social and Economic Aspects of the Sex Problem (1916), covering the wartime spread of venereal diseases and concerns about proposals for compulsory notification; also wrote Mother Lore (1919), which enjoyed wide success and was reprinted several times.