Ruby Sophia Rich (23 June 1888 – 10 May 1988) was an Australian feminist involved in numerous women's organizations, a family planning pioneer, a pianist and a Jewish community leader, who was also actively involved in the 1975 International Women's Year. Early life Rich was born on 23 June 1888 at Walgett, New South Wales in Australia. She was the fourth of six children of Louis Rich and Ada Bebarfald. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Sydney. There, her father became a successful businessman, which later gave her family the opportunity to travel widely. She attended a local kindergarten before being educated at home by governesses, who taught her French and German. Rich studied the piano and performed in public at the Sydney Town Hall. In 1905 her father took her and her sister abroad and she studied the piano with Artur Schnabel in Berlin and Raoul Pugno in Paris. While she was in London, she had contact with Britain's suffragettes, which led to her interest in women's issues and the cause of peace. Rich returned to London in 1911. During World War I she joined a Voluntary Aid Detachment and organised concert tours for the allied forces in Switzerland. Her younger brother was wounded in France in 1917 and she returned with him to Australia. After his death and that of his wife, she adopted their son. Feminism In 1923 Rich met Millicent Preston-Stanley, president of the Feminist Club of New South Wales. When the Club ran into financial difficulties, she kept it going. She became vice-president of the club. She then campaigned for both Preston-Stanley and Jessie Street in their attempts to be elected to parliament. After meeting the social activist, Bessie Rischbieth, Rich joined the Australian Federation of Women Voters, becoming president (1945–48). In 1949 she was a founder of the League of Women Voters of New South Wales, serving as president in the 1950s. Family planning Rich was asked by Marion Louisa Piddington to provide sex education to young women and work to prevent venereal disease. In 1926, she became the first president of the Racial Hygiene Association of New South Wales, which later became the Family Planning Association (FPA) of Australia. At this time there was a close link between sex education and eugenics. Work for peace In 1929 Rich took her adopted son Charles to be educated in London. She represented the