1859-1886
On this day 11-6-1837
She was born Sophia Pease into a prominent Darlington Quaker family where her father was a director of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. In 1862 she married Theodore Fry whom she met while at school. Fry was elected Liberal MP for Darlington in 1880 and, inspired by the election and Gladstone’s Midlothian Campaign, Sophia Fry…
Millicent Garrett Fawcett, 1847-1929
Millicent Fawcett, a radical and pioneering feminist, is best known as the leader of the suffragists, the constitutional campaigners for women’s votes. Born in Aldeburgh on 11 June 1847, Millicent Garrett was the eighth of the 11 children born to businessman Newson Garrett and his wife Louisa, neé Dunnell. Her father, a Liberal, encouraged political…
Josephine Butler, 1828-1906
Josephine Butler was a social reformer with a broad feminist commitment, whose willingness to speak publicly on sexual issues distracted from her wider views. Born in Northumberland on 13 April 1828, Josephine Elizabeth Grey was the 7th child of John Grey, a cousin of Earl Grey, the Prime Minister responsible for the 1832 Reform Act,…
Lady Palmerston (Emily Mary Lamb), 1787-1869
Born on 21 April 1787 in the family’s Piccadilly home, Emily Mary Lamb was the 5th surviving child of Elisabeth Lamb née Milbanke, the wife of the first Viscount Melbourne, but the identity of her natural father is unclear. Emily’s brother, William, the second Viscount Melbourne, described their mother as an ‘excellent wife but not…
Gladstone, the Liberal Party and the impact of North American politics and war, 1855–85
A review of the impact of events outside the UK on Liberal governments
Sefton and Derby: Politics, principle and opportunity
Hugh Gault traces the political careers of two aristocratic neighbours in the late nineteenth century. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate or Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate.
John Stuart Mill: A neo-Athenian republican
The influence of the republic of classical Athens on Mill’s thought. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate or Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate.
The American Civil War and the British women’s movement
How British women anti-slavery campaigners reacted to the war. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate or Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate.
Commerce, conscience and constitutions
An examination of the motives of two Liberals who supported the Confederacy. To access this content, you must purchase Annual subscription (digital) – unwaged rate or Annual subscription (digital) – standard rate.