Fanny Finch

Fanny Finch (born Frances Combe; 9 April 1815 – 15 October 1863) was an English immigrant to Australia who became a prominent businesswoman in the town of Castlemaine during the Victorian gold rush. She was born in London to black parents and was raised in a foundling hospital. She arrived in the colony of South Australia in 1837, marrying the following year before moving to the colony of Victoria in the early 1850s. She soon became a successful restaurateur in Castlemaine. In 1856, 52 years before women's suffrage was achieved in Victoria, Finch and another unnamed woman used their status as ratepayers to cast votes during municipal elections. She has been cited as one of Australia's first female voters and one of the earliest whose identity is known. Their votes were later disallowed and the law was amended to explicitly exclude women from voting.