Prior to the election of female Councillors and Mayors in the 1960’s, the Lady Mayoress role was one of the few ways women could be active in civic life. Mayoresses made important contributions to their local communities through their charity work and as ambassadors for their region on a state and at times, international level. Mayoress Bennetts was born Christina Annie Williams in 1879 in Daylesford and died on 27th March, 1974, aged 95 in Melbourne. Christina Bennetts was Mayoress from 1933 - 34.The Bennetts were widely known for establishing Bennetts Arcade in Pall Mall.Framed, oval photographic portraits with convex glass and print, created using a collodion wet plate process. Hand coloured detail.christina williams, mayoress christina bennetts, mayor bennetts, vincent kelly phototgrapher, city of bendigo