Leontine Mary Jane BUISSON ~ Mrs Leontine COOPER

Teacher, Writer, Suffragette

Leontine Mary Jane BUISSON was born on 22 April 1837 in Battersea, Surrey, England - she was the first child of Frenchman Jean François BUISSON ('John Francis') and his English wife, Dorothy Jane SMITHER. 

Leontine was christened 21 June 1837 at Saint Mary's Church, Battersea, Surrey (for church website and pictures of the church, see http://www.stmarysbattersea.org.uk).

Leontine married Edward COOPER in 1866 in Hampstead, Middlesex, England. They were apart on the night on the 1871 English census, at which time she was living at 108 Belsize Road, Hampstead, London (the house of James Hamilton, a barrister, where her status is that of 'lodger').

Leontine and Edward emigrated to Queensland, Australia c1871 at which time she became a teacher, a writer (for 'The Boomerang' and 'The Star') and a key member of the women's suffrage movement in Queensland.

Among her writings were:

 
Jennie Travers  short story 1890
Appears in: The Boomerang no.124 29 March 1890 (p.14)

A Message by Telephone  short story 1890
Appears in: The Boomerang no.143 9 August 1890 (p.16)

A Fierce Temptation  short story 1890
Appears in: The Boomerang (Christmas Issue) 13 December 1890 (p.15)

Chloroformed : An Incident in the Journey of a Mail Train  short story 1890
Appears in: The Boomerang no.117 8 February 1890 (p.18)

"Another Mysterious Disappearance"  short story 1890
Appears in: Centennial Magazine vol.2 no.12 July 1890 (pp.894-900)

On A Fever-Stricken Field  short story 1889
Appears in: The Boomerang 28 December 1889 (p.18)

"Never a Change!"  short story 1889
Appears in: The Boomerang 19 October 1889 (p.18)

Fright  short story 1889
Appears in: The Boomerang 15 June 1889 (p.18)

"Trust Her Not, She is Fooling Thee!"  short story 1889
Appears in: The Boomerang 25 May 1889 (p.17)

A Mysterious Command  short story 1889
Appears in: The Boomerang 13 July 1889 (p.17)

A Diver's Peril  short story 1889
Appears in: The Boomerang 31 August 1889 (p.17)

Only a Woman  short story 1889
Appears in: The Boomerang 26 January 1889 (p.15)

How the Doctor Recovered a Debt  short story 1889
Appears in: The Boomerang 11 May 1889 (p.17)

No Title  short story 1889
Appears in: The Boomerang 6 April 1889 (pp.17-18)

False to the Core  short story 1889
Appears in: The Boomerang 16 March 1889 (pp.15-16)

The Engine-Driver  short story 1889
Appears in: The Boomerang 5 January 1889 (p.16)

The Taming of the Shrew : Australian Fashion  short story 1888
Appears in: The Boomerang 22 December 1888 (p.7)

Leontine died on 12 March 1903 in Queensland, Australia.

For more information on her life and work in Australia and other related links, please see:

• http://arcq.com.au/suffrage/articles/09_Jordan.doc

• http://www.womenaustralia.info/biogs/AWE1014b.htm

• http://www.careerbuzz.com/success/register/story%20with%20id%2054677617.html

• http://www.albacreess.qld.edu.au/lookback.html

• http://www.emsah.uq.edu.au/awsr/Act_Centenary/index.htm