Georgina Kermode: Ross Woman, Inventor and Suffragist

Georgina Kermode’s life and work left a lasting mark on Tasmania’s social, political and industrial history. Closely connected to the Northern Midlands and the Ross district, she was not only an advocate for women’s suffrage, but also an inventor, engineer and pioneer whose influence extended far beyond Tasmania.

Georgina Fawns married Robert Crellin Kermode JP in 1885, and the couple made their home at Mona Vale, just outside Ross. The grand house, known locally as the Calendar House for its reputed 365 windows, 52 rooms and 12 chimneys, was a symbol of pastoral success and landed wealth. Later, they moved to the neighbouring property, Lochiel. These properties, worked through the rhythms of wool growing and rural life, form part of the same historical landscape that continues to define the Midlands today, yet Georgina’s legacy extends well beyond the drawing rooms of these stately homes.

Living in a time when women were expected to remain firmly within the private sphere, Georgina became an active and determined advocate for women’s suffrage. She was deeply involved in the Campbell Town branch of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), where she gathered petition signatures and, in 1896, led a well-attended public suffrage meeting, despite opposition from family and friends.

As Colonial Suffrage Superintendent of the WCTU, Georgina proposed a bold and strategic campaign to pressure politicians to grant women the vote. During the winter of 1896, she travelled across Tasmania with fellow campaigner Jessie Rooke, addressing both drawing-room gatherings and public meetings. Together, they collected 2,278 signatures for a petition to Parliament, which was a remarkable achievement given Tasmania’s small and dispersed population at the time. Georgina also represented Tasmania at the triennial WCTU convention in Queensland in 1897 and later became a prominent worker within the Tasmanian National League, continuing her political engagement well into the new century.

Her interest in public service and technical matters extended into mining. Through her husband’s mining interests, she gained expertise in Tasmania’s metal ores and became a director of the Tasmanian Metals Extraction Co. Ltd. Around 1904, she travelled to England to study new extraction methods and remained there, pursuing an extraordinary career as an inventor. Between 1907 and her death in 1923, she registered 27 patents in multiple countries, including improvements in metal refining, self-contained breathing apparatus for divers and firefighters, and the automatic vending of postage stamps. Her stamp machines, known as “Kermodes,” were installed in places including the Houses of Parliament.

In 1916, Georgina became the first female member of the Institute of Metals, cementing her place as a pioneer in engineering and innovation. Although she had no children and faced health challenges later in life, she remained engaged in professional and technical circles until her death in England. She is buried in Tasmania, leaving a remarkable legacy of activism, engineering, and invention.

Georgina Kermode’s story reminds us that women in the Northern Midlands contributed not only to local communities but also to national change and global innovation.

References:
“Georgina Kermode.” Magnificent Women in Engineering – Engineer of the Week.
“Georgiana Kermode.” Significant Tasmanian Women, Department of Premier and Cabinet (Tasmania).