Agnes Husband facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Agnes Husband
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| Born | 20 May 1852 Tayport, Scotland
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| Died | 30 April 1929 (aged 76) |
| Known for | socialism and women's rights |
| Awards | Freedom of the City of Dundee |
Agnes Husband (born May 20, 1852 – died April 30, 1929) was an important Scottish woman who worked for social change. She was one of the first women to become a councillor in Dundee, Scotland. She was also a suffragette, meaning she fought for women's right to vote.
Agnes Husband was given the "Freedom of the City of Dundee" award when she was 74 years old. There is a special plaque in her memory at the Dundee City Chambers, and a painting of her is displayed in McManus Galleries and Museum.
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Early Life
Agnes Husband was born in Tayport, Scotland. Her father, John Husband, was a shipmaster. Agnes and her sister later worked as dressmakers in Dundee.
Fighting for Change
Agnes Husband became interested in socialism and the Labour Party when she was in her forties. Socialism is a way of thinking about how society should be organized, often focusing on fairness and helping everyone, especially working people.
Helping the Community
In 1897, she tried to get elected to the School Board but didn't win. However, in 1901, she made history by becoming one of the first two women elected to the Parochial Board. This board helped manage local services for the community. She worked very hard, attending many meetings and serving on four different committees.
In 1905, Agnes Husband also won a spot on the School Board. Here, she worked to make sure poor children in the city received meals, books, and early education (like nursery school). She continued her own education by taking evening classes at Dundee University College.
Leading the Fight for Women's Votes
Agnes Husband became the President of the Women's Freedom League (WFL) branch in Dundee. The WFL was a group that strongly campaigned for women to get the right to vote.
She believed that women had a special way of looking at problems, with "a keener insight, and a more humane ideal." She encouraged women to be brave and put themselves forward to serve on important local boards.
In 1911, she gave a powerful speech in Perth, encouraging other cities to follow Dundee's example and elect more women to their local councils and school boards.
Supporting Fellow Activists
Agnes Husband knew other suffragettes who had been to prison for their activism. In 1908, she introduced Anna Munro and Amy Sanderson to a large crowd in Glasgow. They shared their experiences in prison, and Amy Sanderson said that women should use their vote to improve prisons once they had it.
Agnes Husband also took on a national role in the movement for women's right to vote. She attended a big protest at Westminster in London and reported back on it.
In 1910, she was one of the Scottish representatives at the WFL's yearly meeting. She was even pictured in The Vote, the WFL's newspaper. In 1912, she was seen greeting Charlotte Despard, the President of the WFL, at another conference.
Continuing Her Work
Even after a serious illness in 1913, Agnes Husband kept working for women's rights. She spoke at an outdoor event in Hyde Park, London.
In October 1913, she led a meeting where people discussed how "Bible reading and Votes for Women" were connected. In the same month, under her leadership, the Dundee WFL branch joined another group, the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), to protest against the forcible feeding of suffragettes in Dundee Prison. Forcible feeding was when prisoners on hunger strike were made to eat against their will.
She was re-elected as the WFL branch president in May 1914. The group grew and held local events, talking to people during lunch breaks and outside factories, to gain support for women's votes.
Also in 1914, Agnes Husband was elected to the Dundee School Board again.
Freedom of the City
In 1926, when she was 74, Agnes Husband became the fifth woman ever to receive the "Freedom of the City of Dundee" award. This special award recognized her valuable work for the community as a member of the Parish Council and the Education Authority, and in many other ways over many years.
Legacy
Agnes Husband passed away in 1929. Her obituary (a notice about her death) called her a "pioneer" because she was one of the first to say that women were capable of helping to run public affairs. It also said she was a pioneer in treating poor people more kindly and in improving education and care for children.
Today, there is a blue plaque on the City Chambers in Dundee to remember her. A portrait of her by Angus Grieve is in the McManus Galleries and Museums.
In 2008, Agnes Husband was one of twenty-five women featured in a book called Dundee Women's Trail: Twenty-five footsteps over four centuries.
In March 2021, a new government building in Dundee was named 'Agnes Husband House.' This building is the main office for Social Security Scotland, which helps people with social benefits. The government said this name was chosen because it fits with everything Agnes Husband stood for, especially her dedication to helping the poor and children.
See also
In Spanish: Agnes Husband para niños
