Jean Arnot

Jean Fleming Arnot MBE (23 April 1903 – 27 September 1995) was an Australian librarian, trade unionist, activist for equal pay for women and feminist. She worked at the State Library of New South Wales from 1921 until her retirement in 1968. Early life Jean Arnot was born in Pymble, New South Wales, on 23 April 1903. She attended Fort Street Girls' High School. Arnot enjoyed mathematics at school and hoped to study science at university, but her family circumstances prevented her from pursuing further study. Career Arnot's career at the State Library of New South Wales began with the role of temporary junior library assistant in March 1921. She was acutely aware of the disparity of the wages earned by women, for example a male cleaner was paid considerably more than a female graduate library assistant when she joined the library staff. She became an active campaigner for equal pay for women from 1937 onwards.