People Australia

Flintoft, Carmen Patricia (Pat), née King (1928-?) office-worker, Communist and women's rights and peace activist

Birth: 12 November 1928 at Woodville West, South Australia, daughter of Robert William King (1890-), mariner and merchant seaman, born in Lancaster, England, and Audrey Carmen, née Bell (born at Birkenhead, SA 31.12.1903), dressmaker. Marriage: 1953 to William Allan Flintoft (b.15.9.1926), coppersmith. Death: details unknown. 

• Educated at Pennington School, Blackwood Primary, Bridgewater Primary and Adelaide Girls High schools.
• From 1945 to 1950 worked for the Ironworkers Union (later amalgamated with the Munitions Union) doing office administration. She met Mary Miller there.
• Joined the Eureka Youth League at 18 and was active in the peace movement and in sporting activities. Went door to door to collect signatures for Ban the Bomb petitions.
• Went to the press conference for the Archbishop of Canterbury with Alan Miller who was then a reporter for the Tribune.
• Joined the Communist Party of Australia when she was 19 and remained a member, mainly involved in the peace movement. In 1951 she worked in the office of the Seamen’s Union.
• Joined the Union of Australian Women in 1961 and remained an active member. Was a delegate to the National Committee. Actively participated in all UAW campaigns, including all the peace campaigns undertaking demonstrations, silent vigils, protests against the United States Embassy, Ban the Bomb and international campaigns. Member of the UAW management committee since 1967; held the position of treasurer for several years. Represented the UAW on the committee for International Year of the Child and worked on the legal rights of the child in 1979. For many years was the UAW representative to the United Nations Association of Australia Status of Women committee.