Florence Sulman

Florence Sulman (13 January 1876–15 June 1965) was an English-Australian author and educationalist.

Life and work

Sulman was born in Bromley, England on 13 January 1876. and Sarah Clarke. She attended Miss Wheeler's school in Bromley before moving to Australia with her sister in 1886 to join her parents and brother who were living in New South Wales. Her mother died in 1888. She was educated at Abbotsleigh school in Parramatta.

She became involved with the Society of Arts and Crafts in 1910 before moving back to England with her brother Geoffrey in 1916 and began teaching craft to recovering soldiers. Her brother died in an aircraft accident in 1917 and she moved back to Sydney. She became involved with the Society of Arts and Crafts again and was the president from 1928 until 1936. She travelled throughout Europe and sent home samples from the Englishwoman Exhibition of Arts and Handicrafts, some of which were bought by Technological Museum in Sydney. She also lectured on new trends in crafting. She collaborated with Mort on several other projects aimed at educating young children including a painting book and postcards. She became an honorary life-member of the union in 1952.

She also helped her stepmother by working at the Rachel Forster Hospital for Women and Children, became involved with the state branch of the Australian Red Cross and was awarded with an MBE in 1958 for her work in children's welfare. She died in Mona Vale, Sydney on 15 June 1965.