Agnes Husband
Agnes Husband | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 20 May 1852 |
| Died | 30 April 1929 |
| Known for | socialism and women's rights |
Agnes Husband (20 May 1852 – 30 April 1929) [1] was one of Dundee's first female councillors and was a suffragette.[2] She was awarded Freedom of the City at the age of 74 and has a plaque to her memory on the Dundee City Chambers and a portrait by Alec Grieve is in the McManus Galleries and Museum.[3]
Early life
Agnes Husband was born in Tayport,[2] the daughter of a shipmaster John Husband and Agnes Lamond or Lomand. Agnes and her sister later worked as dressmakers in the Murraygate, Dundee.[4]
Campaigning for socialism and women's suffrage
Agnes Husband became involved in her forties in socialism and the Labour party, standing unsuccessfully for election to the School Board in 1897. But in 1901 she was elected as one of the first two women on the Parochial Board.[2] She attended over 80 meetings in a year serving on four committees.[5] And in 1905 Husband did win a place on the School Board too and promoted providing meals, books, and nursery education to poor children in the city.[1]
Her own education continued in evening classes at Dundee University College and she became President of the Women's Freedom League (WFL) branch which started up in the city,[6] and in 1909 she took a national role in the movement for women's suffrage.[1] Agnes Husband attended and was able to give a first hand report on the demonstration which took place at Westminster but this was not reported in the local press.[7]
Annot Wilkie or Robinson appears to have been influenced by Husband. During Agnes Husband's presidency of Dundee WFL in October 1913 the branch joined with the local Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) to demonstrate against forcible feeding at Dundee Prison.[4]
In 1926 at the age of 74, she was the 5th woman to be given the Freedom of the City of Dundee. Her Burgess certificate was on display in the city museum for the centenary of women's suffrage.[8] She died in 1929.[2]
Agnes Husband's influence and link to the wider suffrage movement was described as [3]
"she worked long and conscientiously on behalf of the poor and for better education. As a member of the suffrage movement, she spoke, wrote and campaigned with gusto. She also supported and encouraged her younger sisters to become involved."
Death and legacy
In her obituary [9] she was described as 'a pioneer in asserting the claims of women and their competence to participate in the administration of public affairs' and as ' a pioneer in more humane treatment of the poor and in education and care of children.'[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b c The biographical dictionary of Scottish women : from the earliest times to 2004. Ewan, Elizabeth., Innes, Sue., Reynolds, Sian. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. 2006. p. 175. ISBN 0748626603. OCLC 367680960.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ a b c d "Agnes Husband | Mapping Memorials to Women in Scotland". womenofscotland.org.uk. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
- ^ a b "Agnes Husband | Dundee Women's Trail". www.dundeewomenstrail.org.uk. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
- ^ a b Elizabeth., Crawford, (2006). The women's suffrage movement in Britain and Ireland : a regional survey. London: Routledge. p. 39. ISBN 9780415383325. OCLC 59149398.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Leah., Leneman, (2000). The Scottish suffragettes. Edinburgh: NMS Pub. p. 63. ISBN 190166340X. OCLC 46650355.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Black, Sue. "Dundee suffrage movement : 50th anniversary". University of Dundee. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
- ^ Sarah, Pedersen,. The Scottish suffragettes and the press. London, United Kingdom. p. 78. ISBN 9781137538338. OCLC 992988822.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "Dundee Women". Dundee City Archives Blog. 2018-02-08. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ "Agnes Husband (1852-1929)". The Courier and Advertiser. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2018 – via www.pressreader.com.