Fanny Finch

Fanny Finch remembered as a woman ahead of her time

The famous Fanny Finch is buried at Historical Castlemaine Cemetery and her grave has become a popular site for historians. But who is Fanny, and why is she famous? Amongst other things, she was one of the first women in Australia to vote, 52 years before womens suffrage was achieved.

Castlemaine historian and researcher, Kacey Sinclair, had an article about Fanny Finch published in 2019. The last line in that article reads “She was given a public burial in an unmarked grave at Castlemaine Cemetery”. When Trust member Debra Tranter read the article and realised Fanny was buried at the Castlemaine Cemetery, she set out to locate the exact site of Fanny Finch’s grave. Using the original burial registers Debra was able to locate Fanny’s grave and realised how unjust it was to have such a significant woman in Australia’s political landscape buried in an unmarked grave.

Debra started lobbying the State Government of Victoria for funding to purchase a headstone for Fanny Finch. Local MP Maree Edwards provided support right from the start and Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams, once hearing the story of Fanny Finch, agreed that she was deserving of a headstone. Once State Government funding was secured, Debra contacted historian Kacey Sinclair who in turn contacted some of Fanny Finch’s descendants and the design and wording of the headstone commenced.

The memorial was officially unveiled in 2020 on the date Fanny cast her vote in 1856, January 22nd.

More media on Fanny Finch

Kacey Sinclair - Australia’s first known female voter the famous Mrs Fanny Finch

State Library of Victoria - Mrs Fanny Finch takes a stand by Ana-Maria Traian

Podcast by Fanny Finch’s x3 great granddaughter Alice Garner - Fanny Finch - The girl who voted

Interview with historian Kacey Sinclair and Fanny Finch’s descendants Bill and Alice Garner about their play “Finding Fanny Finch”

Fanny Finch’s voting card is on display at the Castlemaine Art Museum