embroiderer, craftworker and theosophic feminist, was born on 16 October 1874 at Burra, SA, elder daughter of William Earle and Jane Anna, née Carvoso. At an early age she went to Adelaide to live with her uncle, William Rounsevell, a prosperous wine merchant, politician and theosophist, who supported the Married Women’s Property Acts (1883-84) and universal franchise. She was educated at Miss Stanton’s School in Glenelg and the Advanced School for Girls, followed by private art training. On 22 October 1898 she married Henry Wills Rischbieth. The following year they moved to Perth, where her husband had established Henry Wills & Co.

In 1904 they built a Federation-style mansion, Unalla, in Peppermint Grove, a Perth suburb. Bessie was very much involved in designing and making a number of fittings for the house. In 1905 she enrolled at Perth Technical School under James W.R. Linton and passed Design. That year she exhibited two repoussé plaques with the WA Society of Arts, probably those for the entrance hall and table at Unalla which feature the geometric 'Glasgow Rose’ she favoured.

An expert needlewoman, Rischbieth was involved with the Women’s Service Guild, a reformist feminist group inspired by theosophical ideals which had been founded by (Lady) Gwenyfred James in 1905. This involved her in many social issues to do with women and children and she became one of Australia’s better-known feminists, particularly in her role as inaugural president of the Australian Federation of Women Voters (which as the Australian Federation of Women’s Societies she had helped form), a position she held for twenty-one years (1921-42). The Federation was affiliated with the International Alliance of Women, British Commonwealth League, on whose executive she also served.

Bessie Rischbieth appears to have given up metalwork by 1914 and converted her studio to a writing room. One of the first WA women to be appointed a Justice of the Peace, she was also on the board of the International Alliance of Women for Suffrage and Equal Citizenship and an alternate delegate for Australia at the League of Nations. She received her OBE at Buckingham Palace in 1935. A well known figure in Perth, she continued to be active for various causes until just before her death on 13 March 1967, publishing March of Australian Women in 1964.

Writers:

Erickson, Dorothy Note: Heritage biography.

Date written:

1995

Last updated:

1992