Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy and the Victorian Feminist Movement: The biography of an insurgent woman (Gender in History)

This book provides the first full-length biography of Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy (1833–1918) – someone referred to among contemporaries as "the grey matter in the brain" of the late-Victorian women’s movement. A pacifist, humanitarian "free-thinker," Wolstenholme Elmy was a controversial character and the first woman ever to speak from a public platform on the topic of marital rape. Lauded by Emmeline Pankhurst as "first" among the infamous militant suffragettes of the Women’s Social and Political Union, Wolstenholme Elmy was one of Britain’s great feminist pioneers and, in her own words, an "initiator" of many high-profile campaigns from the nineteenth into the twentiethth century. Wright draws on an extensive resource of unpublished correspondence and other sources to produce an enduring portrait that does justice to Wolstenholme Elmy’s momentous achievements. Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy (1833-1918) Was One Of The Most Significant Pioneers Of The British Women's Emancipation Movement; Though Her Importance Is Little Recognised. Wolstenholme Elmy Referred To Herself As An 'initiator' Of Movements, And She Was At The Heart Of Every Campaign Victorian Feminists Conducted - Her Most Well-known Position That Of Secretary Of The Married Women's Property Committee From 1867-1882. A Fierce Advocate Of Human Rights, As The Secretary Of The Vigilance Association For The Defence Of Personal Rights She Earned The Nickname Of The 'parliamentary Watch-dog' From Members Of Parliament Anxious To Escape Her Persistent Lobbying. Also A Feminist Theorist, She Believed Wholeheartedly In The Rights Of Women To Freedom Of Their Person, And Was The First Woman Ever To Speak From A British Stage On The Sensitive Topic Of Conjugal Rape. She Engaged Theoretically With The Rights Of The Disenfranchised To Exert Force In Pursuit Of The Vote And Emmeline Pankhurst Lauded Her As 'first' Among The Infamous Suffragettes Of The Women's Social And Political Union. As A Lifelong Pacifist, However, She Resigned From The Wspu Executive In The Wake Of Increasingly Violent Activity From 1912. A Prolific Correspondent, Journalist, Speaker And Political Critic Wolstenholme Elmy Left Significant Resources; Believing They 'might Be Of Value' To Historians. Maureen Wright Draws On A Great Deal Of This Valuable Documentation To Produce An Enduring Portrait That Does Justice To Wolstenholme Elmy's Momentous Achievements As A Lifelong 'insurgent Woman'--publisher's Website. 'the Song Of The Insurgent Women' -- Introduction -- The Making Of A Feminist : 1833-61 -- Headmistress : The Education Campaign, 1862-67 -- The 'parliamentary Watchdog' : 1868-spring 1874 -- Calvary To Resurrection : Summer 1874-82 -- The 'great Mole' Of The Women's Movements : 1883-90 -- The Women's Emancipation Union, 1891-july 1899 : 'no Mere Suffrage Society' -- 'the Cold Dark Night Is Past' : August 1899-may 1906 -- 'at Eventide There Will Be Light' : June 1906-march 1918 -- Conclusion : Women ... Will Never Know How Much They Owe To Her -- Poem 'new Year's Day 1900' -- Cast Of Characters. Maureen Wright. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 251-267) And Index. Copyright 5 Contents 6 List of plates 8 Abbreviations 10 Acknowledgements 12 The song of the insurgent women 14 Figure 1 Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy at her writing tableSource: Reproduced with the permission of Congleton Museum 16 Introduction 18 1 The making of a feminist: 1833–61 44 2 Headmistress: The education campaign1862–67 65 3 The ‘parliamentary watchdog’:1868–Spring 1874 88 4 Calvary to resurrection: Summer 1874–82 114 5 The ‘great mole’ of the women’s movement:1883–90 139 6 The Women’s Emancipation Union,1891–July 1899: ‘no mere suffrage society’ 168 7 ‘The cold dark night is past’: August 1899–May 1906 194 8 ‘At eventide there will be light’: June 1906–March 1918 221 Conclusion Women . . . will never know how much they owe to her 251 New Year’s Day 1900 War Against War in South Africa, 29 December 1899 259 Select bibliography 268 Index 285