Chisholm’s life celebrated

Wing Commander Jo Elkington, right, with author Joanna Bogle, who has written about Chisholm.

A Royal Australian Air Force Wing Commander has paid tribute to one of Australia’s national heroines at a ceremony in the United Kingdom.

WGCDR Jo Elkington, who is on exchange as the Staff Officer Ground Training and Recruiting Policy at RAF Innsworth, praised the exceptional work performed in the 1800s by Caroline Chisholm, especially her support of Sydney’s orphans, women’s causes and prison reform agenda.

WGCDR Elkington represented the Australian High Commissioner at a mass at the Northampton Cathedral to celebrate the life of Chisholm, who lived from 1808 to 1877.

“Author and journalist Joanna Bogle was guest speaker at the ceremony, giving a colourful, animated account of Caroline’s life and left everyone in no doubt as to her selfless, inspirational devotion to her cause,” said WGCDR Elkington.

“Her research into Chisholm’s life had provided her with many anecdotes associated with her philanthropic work.”
Born on a farm near Northampton in May 1808, the devout Christian, devoted her life to helping the sick and the suffering.

After doing charity works in India, which included the founding of a school for girls, she travelled to Sydney where she became known as the “emigrant’s friend”.

“Caroline wasn’t content with bettering the lot of those who had already arrived in Australia through establishing hostels for young women and the development of a successful employment agency, so she returned to England where she lobbied successfully for improvements in shipping practices,” said WGCDR Elkington.

“She also developed and ran a scheme whereby those planning to emigrate could borrow money for their passages and for the purchase of land and equipment once they arrived.”

She is relatively unknown in her own land yet is one of the most famous people in the history of her adopted country.

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