Mary Fitzgerald | |
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Born | Mary Sinnott 4 August 1883 |
Died | 26 September 1960 | (aged 77)
Nationality | Irish |
Other names | Pickhandle Mary |
Occupation | Trade unionist |
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Mary Fitzgerald (also known as Pickhandle Mary; 4 August 1883 – 26 September 1960) was an Irish-born South African political activist and was considered to have been the first female trade unionist in the country. She was South Africa's first female master printer. As editor of the Voice of Labour, she published articles advocating for women's enfranchisement, racially integrated trade unions and revolutionary socialism. She played a lead role in the Black Friday Riots of 1913. She was the first woman to be elected to the Johannesburg City Council (JCC) in 1915 and later served as Deputy Mayor of Johannesburg.[1]