Well, the realistic answer is that she wouldn't - she would perhaps move out on her own (which was quite rebellious enough thank you very much), but working is unlikely. She certainly wouldn't work in nursing in Australia during that time. That said, she may perhaps get a job as a secretary?
Ah, I see... I read in part of my search that as part of the Florence Nightingale School women of the upper class became nursing sisters or managers, rather than actually doing any of the hands on work, but they might have been mistaken or that wasn't the case in Australia. Moving out on her own isn't an option because she's newly married, unfortunately. Thanks for the help!
Yeah, nursing in Australia was something that didn't gain a lot of respectability for a long time - it was originally assigned to female convicts that basically didn't get away fast enough, it was excruciatingly poorly paid, there was little or no training at first, and so on. It wasn't really respectable even up into the 1980s, actually - it took a very long time to catch on.
I do not know about Australia specifically. However, I've read a fair number of books written from 1900-1920, and female clerks and secretaries are actually somewhat plentiful in them. The majority are set in New York City, which I imagine would be the most progressive in this respect, but I can't recall any in-story bias against these women. On the contrary, some negative attitudes are generated because the woman *works* instead of having money of her own, not because she's moved out.
*Re-reads question* Wait, now I'm confused. You say she's married, but she's thumbing her nose at her guardian?
Perhaps guardian isn't the right word... he was the man who was her legal guardian until she married. He's rather conservative for the time, whereas her husband - while upper class - has rather more liberal views and wouldn't have a problem with her working as... well, pretty much anything.
Thanks for the info, I'll keep that in mind! It's looking like the best idea at the moment :)
Okay, that clarifies a little bit. So she's proving her independence from her guardian, although she's married? The marriage itself effectively secures her independence from her guardian, unless there's some other kind of arrangements. If her husband is upper class, her former guardian would not be able to exert any financial pressure. Unless she's REALLY extravagant and he's holding out a carrot of Big Bucks in his will. :P
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Oh, don't be sorry, it's all appreciated! The fact that I was way off-base with the nursing (and apparently in general) from the research I could muster just shows how much I need this.
It's... very complicated XD It's not that she needs to prove her independence, it's an attempt - partly for her own sense of self, and partly for the fact she disagrees with her guardian's views - to do so, despite the fact he doesn't have any sway over her any more. I was looking for something that is... not a rebellion, really, because I know that's not the right word, but that's the general sense I'm going for. Really, I'm thinking the political activity is a wonderful fit for her character
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Oh, she might have chosen political activity instead of work. Women (at least white women) got the vote in Australia much earlier than the US or Britain, but there would still have been a lot of political activity going on, it was a long time before they actually got any traction in politics.
Oh, good idea! And at least in the U.S., there were a LOT of charitable and reform organizations all that women, especially upper class, worked hard at. Most of this was volunteer work. There could be paid secretarial jobs in larger organizations, but often these would be given to women who really need the money.
I don't know if this is any help, since it's not Australia, but my granny did this. Her mother made her 'housekeeper' at the age of 13 and she looked after her younger sisters and ordered the staff about while her mother reclined on a sofa and complained how ill she was. Gran had a fair idea this was hooey so she saved pennies and sixpences out of the housekeeping until he had enough to pay to take the British governments Civil Service Examination. Once it was a fair accompli she handed the housekeeping over to the next sister and went to work for HMG as one of the first telephone operators. That was well before the Great War so telephony might be a good job for your lassie to try if she lives in one of the bigger cities.
I've read some of the comments now. A lot of places wouldn't allow married women to work for them - it was assumed that they would be fully occupied keeping house for their husband. The Civil Service, teaching, nursing - all dismissed married women so they could dedicate themselves to their men.
She could keep her marriage secret. That might be fun.
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*Re-reads question* Wait, now I'm confused. You say she's married, but she's thumbing her nose at her guardian?
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Thanks for the info, I'll keep that in mind! It's looking like the best idea at the moment :)
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It's... very complicated XD It's not that she needs to prove her independence, it's an attempt - partly for her own sense of self, and partly for the fact she disagrees with her guardian's views - to do so, despite the fact he doesn't have any sway over her any more. I was looking for something that is... not a rebellion, really, because I know that's not the right word, but that's the general sense I'm going for. Really, I'm thinking the political activity is a wonderful fit for her character ( ... )
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she could assert herself by doing tons of outreach work.
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Definitely look through Victorian children's books to see what 'proper' women were expected to do.
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She could keep her marriage secret. That might be fun.
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