An International Woman: Emily Dobson (nee Lempriere)

by Jess Walters, archivist for the State Library and Archive Service

Community Archives recently purchased a studio portrait of Emily Dobson (nee Lempriere) (1842-1934) as a young woman. It provides a rare window on the early life of a woman who entered the public sphere in her 50’s and was a prominent activist until her death at 91.

Emily Dobson was a wealthy, nineteenth-century woman who used her position in society to organise and influence her community into action. Mrs Dobson is known for creating, and being the driving force in at least nineteen philanthropic societies. She was endlessly curious and had a wide range of interests that evolved throughout her life.

Her interests ranged from alleviating poverty through health, sanitation, food and housing, and caring for the needs of the sick and people with disabilities, through to social and educational organisations for women and girls, such as the Girl Guides, Victoria League, Alliance Francaise and Lyceum Club. Although Emily did not agitate politically or challenge the establishment, she worked hard to improve society in the ways she felt were proper.

Emily Dobson, ca. 1866, Tasmanian Archives: PH40/1/363

Emily Lempriere was born in 1842, the eleventh of twelve children born to Thomas James Lempriere and Charlotte Smith. Although her birth was registered in Hobart, when interviewed by a newspaper for her 90th birthday, she told them that she was born at Port Arthur “outside the stockade” (The Mercury, 10/10/1932). Her father was, at that time, the Deputy Assistant Commissary General. Emily had no formal schooling, but both of her parents were educated and she was ‘educated at home’ (The Mercury, 6/6/1934).

Her mother Charlotte and her aunt Harriett had opened a school for young ladies in 1825, and her father is reported to have taught her older siblings (Jordan, 2004, p.29). Emily’s father died in 1852, after becoming ill during an appointment to Hong Kong. After this, it is thought that Emily went to live with her eldest brother (Jordan, 2004, p.28). Previous studies of Emily’s life had not discovered when her mother died.

However, improved indexing of newspapers and registration records has allowed me to establish that Charlotte Lempriere lived until 1890, when she died in Bellerive, aged 87 (The Mercury, 29/9/1890, RGD35/1/59 no 542). It is therefore possible that her mother was able to continue her youngest daughter’s education herself. Emily certainly seems to have developed an enquiring mind.

Read the full story here: https://archivesandheritageblog.libraries.tas.gov.au/an-international-woman-emily-dobson-nee-lempriere/.