People Australia

Alice Cicley Dickson, née Cogan, (1895-1980) elocution teacher, Communist

Birth: 15 July 1895 at Broken Hill, NSW, and registered as Alice Cecilia, daughter of South-Australian-born parents William Cogan (1854-1924), teamster, and Emily, née Summerton (1855-1933). Marriage: 22 October 1922 at Broken Hill to William Edward Dickson (1893-1966), accountant and newspaper manager. The had five daughters and one son. Death: 2 November 1980 in her usual residence “Lochiel” via Kingstown, Armidale, NSW; cremated.

• In April 1916 “Miss Alice Cogan, certificated teacher of elocution (late pupil of Edward Reeves of the Adelaide University)”, opened a studio in Argent Street, Broken Hill.
• She was secretary of the Broken Hill branch of Australian Socialist Party and driving force behind the branch during World War I.
• During frequent visits to Sydney, she joined Marcia Reardon and other party members in addressing Domain meetings. In June 1917 she initiated moves to establish a Workers' International Industrial Union branch in Broken Hill.
• Alice had a special interest in the welfare of children. She formed the Labor's Volunteer Army, run along the lines of the Victorian Socialist Party's Sunday School. In January 1918 she travelled to Melbourne to gather information on Sunday School methods.
• In 1921 she was elected treasurer and minute secretary of the Broken Hill branch of the Workers’ Educational Association.
• She was foundation secretary of the Broken Hill branch of Communist Party in 1921.
• Moved to Sydney with her husband in June 1938.
• Cause of death: coronary occlusion (10 minutes), arterial atherosclerosis (10 years) and congestive cardiac failure (1 year).
• She was the sister-in-law of Patrick Lamb. 

Sources
Joy Damousi, Socialist Women in Australia, c.1890-c.1918, PhD thesis, ANU, 1987.