Traces

Bringing a trailblazer back to life

In 1867, Henrietta Augusta Dugdale, dairywoman of Queenscliff, Victoria, entered the freethinking world of Melbourne bohemia and set out to change the law that cast women as property, with no legal rights of their own. Lynne Leonhardt used facts and family memorabilia to tell Dugdale’s life story, set in Port Phillip Bay and gold-rush era Melbourne. Traces Consulting Editor Eden Cox spoke with Lynne to find out more about her ancestor, and the process of weaving together fact and fiction.

Lynne, you’ve found a fascinating individual in your family tree! Please tell us about Henrietta Dugdale’s role in the Australian women’s suffrage movement.

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