Millie Peacock

Millie Peacock
Member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly
for Allandale
In office
1 November 1933 – 1 February 1935
Preceded by Alexander Peacock
Succeeded by Thomas Parkin
Personal details
Born Millie Gertrude Holden
(1870-08-03)3 August 1870
East Framlingham, Victoria, Australia
Died 7 February 1948(1948-02-07) (aged 77)
Creswick, Victoria, Australia
Resting place Creswick cemetery
Political party UAP
Other political
affiliations		 AWNL
Spouse(s)
Alexander Peacock
(m. 1901; d. 1933)

Millie Gertrude Peacock (née Holden; 3 August 1870 – 7 February 1948), usually known as Lady Peacock, was the first woman elected to the Parliament of Victoria. She was the wife of Sir Alexander Peacock, a three-time Premier of Victoria, and upon his death in 1933 won the by-election to replace him in parliament. She served only a single term, retiring at the 1935 state election due to her inability to keep up with the demands of her rural constituency.[1]

Early life

Millie Gertrude Holden was born in East Framlingham, Victoria, to Marianne (née Arnold) and John Bryson Holden. Her parents were both born in Ireland. Her father – originally from County Antrim – had arrived in Victoria in 1855, and became a successful land agent and auctioneer in Port Fairy.[2] Holden attended Methodist Ladies' College, Melbourne. She was first introduced to politician Alexander Peacock in 1899, when her family hosted members of the Australian Natives' Association during a conference. They married on 1 January 1901, when she was 30 and he was 38. After her husband's knighthood the following year she was known as "Lady Peacock".[3]

Parliament

Following Sir Alexander Peacock's death in 1933, Robert Menzies encouraged Lady Peacock to stand in the by-election for her husband's seat of Allandale. She did so reluctantly and, because she was mourning her husband's death, made no speeches. She was elected and sworn in as the first woman member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly on 21 November 1933. She retired from politics at the end of her term in 1935, saying that, "Parliament is no place for a woman."

References

  1. ↑ Parliament of Victoria. "Millie Gertrude Peacock". re-member: a database of all Victorian MPs since 1851. Parliament of Victoria. Retrieved 9 May 2016.
  2. ↑ Holden, John Bryson, The University of Melbourne]
  3. ↑ LADY PEACOCK AS CANDIDATE: Politician's romance, The News, 12 October 1933.
Victorian Legislative Assembly
Preceded by
Sir Alexander Peacock		 Member for Allandale
1933–1935		 Succeeded by
Thomas Parkin
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