Elizabeth Moulton Eggleston (6 November 1934 – 24 March 1976[1]) was an Australian activist, author, lawyer and champion for Indigenous Australians.[2][3] She was described as a "gentle and unassuming" woman.[4]

Eggleston was born in Armadale, Melbourne to Sir Richard Moulton Eggleston, a barrister and later judge who became chancellor of Monash University[1] and Isabel Marjorie, a mathematics teacher.[4]

Eggleston died in East Melbourne where her Indigenous Australian friends sang at her memorial service.[1] She is buried in Brighton Cemetery.[5]

Education

Eggleston attended the Presbyterian Ladies' College and Tintern Church of England Girls' Grammar School.[4]

In 1956, Eggleston graduated with an LL.B degree from the University of Melbourne with second-class honors (division B).[2] In 1958 she graduated with an LL.M. degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and in 1964 she finished an arts degree at the University of Melbourne.[2] In 1964 she became the first doctoral candidate in the faculty of law at Monash University, from which she obtained her Ph.D. in 1970; she wrote her thesis on Aborigines and the administration of justice.[2]

During her studies, Eggleston was an active member of the Australian Student Christian Movement, Students' Representative Council, legal-aid volunteer and worked for the legal journal, Res Judicatae.[1]

Contributions to the Australian Indigenous community

In 1969, Eggleston became a lecturer in the faculty of law at Monash University, and after two years she was promoted to senior lecturer.[2] After 1971 she also served as part-time director of Monash's Centre for Research into Aboriginal Affairs.[2] During her time as director, she established a course titled, Black Australian Studies and provided resources to Aboriginal groups.[4]

In 1972, she became a founder of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service.[2] In founding the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Eggleston conducted discussions with Aborigines in Pentridge prison and advised Aboriginal communities.[4] She also pursued discrimination and made submissions to government inquiries.[4] Eggleston was actively involved in trying to address Aboriginal land rights and cultural heritage.[4]

In 1972-1973, she had study leave in North America where she did research into Indian communities.[2] Her visit to the Navajo Indian country inspired her to write her thesis on Aboriginals and the administration of justice.[4] This led to her conducting research in Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia.[4]

The Elizabeth Eggleston Memorial collection

The Elizabeth Eggleston Memorial Collection is located in the Koorie Research Unit of the Monash Indigenous Studies Centre.[6] The collection was named after Eggleston due to her role as a former director of the then Centre for Research into Aboriginal Studies and her renown as the premiere expert of Aborigines and the law.[6]

Eggleston donated her collection of books, papers and various materials to the Centre.[6] The collection currently holds over 5000 materials relating to Aboriginal affairs.[6] The library is currently accessible at the Monash Clayton campus, Menzies Building 11.[6]

Published work

In 1973, she co-authored Cases and Materials on Industrial Law in Australia.[2]

Two months before she died, her book Fear, Favour or Affection was published, in 1976; it was based on her doctoral thesis.[2] Reviewers praised it for bringing to light systemic discrimination against Aborigines in the administering of criminal justice.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Melbourne, The University of. "Eggleston, Elizabeth Moulton - Biographical entry - Australian Women Lawyers as Active Citizens". www.womenaustralia.info. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Biography – Elizabeth Moulton Eggleston – Australian Dictionary of Biography
  3. ↑ Waller, Louis; Rowley, C D - "Elizabeth Eggleston" [1976] MonashULawRw 9; (1976) 3(1) Monash University Law Review 1
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Weeks, Phillipa. "Eggleston, Elizabeth Moulton (1934–1976)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  5. ↑ "Eggleston, Elizabeth Moulton". brightoncemetery.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Elizabeth Eggleston Memorial Collection". Monash Indigenous Studies Centre (MISC). 15 October 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2016.

Further reading

  • Aborigines and the Law: Essays in Memory of Elizabeth Eggleston by Peter Hanks (author and editor), and Bryan Keon-Cohen (editor), published in 1984 by Allen & Unwin.
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