Florence Cardell-Oliver

Dame Florence Cardell-Oliver DBE
Member of Parliament for Subiaco
In office 15 February 1936 – 7 April 1956
Preceded by	John Moloney
Succeeded by	Percival Potter
Minister for Health
In office 7 October 1949 – 7 January 1953
Preceded by	Arthur Abbott
Succeeded by	Emil Nulsen
Personal details
Born	Annie Florence Gillies Wilson 11 May 1876(1876-05-11) Stawell, Victoria
Died	12 January 1965(1965-01-12) (aged 88) Subiaco, Perth, Western Australia
Resting place	St Columb Minor Church, Cornwall, England
Political party	Nationalist Party of Australia Liberal Party of Australia
Spouse(s)	David Sykes Boydan (1895–1902; his death) Arthur Cardell-Oliver (1902–1929; his death); 2 sons
Religion	Anglican

Dame Annie Florence Gillies Cardell-Oliver, DBE (11 May 1876 — 12 January 1965) was a Western Australian politician and political activist. She was often known publicly as simply Florence Cardell-Oliver (as per [1] and [2]).

Background/Family

Born Annie Florence Gillies Wilson to Johnston Wilson and Annie Thompson, she married, firstly, David Sykes Boydan. They travelled to England, where David Boydan died on 5 September 1902. Later she remarried, to Arthur Cardell-Oliver; they had two sons. The family migrated to Western Australia and Arthur Cardell-Oliver registered as a doctor in 1912. During the First World War she spoke at recruitment meetings for the armed services.

Her husband, an honorary captain in the Army Medical Corps Reserve, joined the Australian Imperial Force, and served in England before requesting his appointment be terminated. He then set up a medical practice in South Melbourne and retired in 1924 due to ill health. The family travelled to England where he died on 15 September 1929.

Political career

Cardell-Oliver unsuccessfully stood for the federal seat of Fremantle against John Curtin in 1934. In 1936 she was elected as the Nationalist member for Subiaco in the Western Australian Legislative Assembly, and in 1949 became the first Australian woman to attain full cabinet rank when she was made Minister for Health (she had been an "Honorary" Minister for Supply and Shipping since 1947). She was a women's activist in Western Australia between 1936 and 1956 and a party organizer from 1936 to 1956.^{[citation needed]}

Notes

External links

• Campaign against John Curtin
• Australian Dictionary of Biography profile

Western Australian Legislative Assembly
Preceded by John Moloney	Member for Subiaco 1936–1956	Succeeded by Percival Potter
Political offices
Preceded by Arthur Abbott	Minister for Health 1949–1953	Succeeded by Emil Nulsen
Preceded by New ministry	Minister for Supply and Shipping (Honorary Minister before 1949) 1947–1953	Succeeded by Harry Strickland
Persondata
Name	Cardelloliver, Florence
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	11 May 1876
Place of birth	Stawell, Victoria
Date of death	12 January 1965
Place of death	Subiaco, Perth, Western Australia