Elizabeth Cadbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elizabeth Cadbury
|
|
|---|---|
Dame Elizabeth Cadbury
|
|
| Born |
Elizabeth Mary Taylor
24 June 1858 |
| Died | 4 December 1951 (aged 93) |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 6, including: Egbert Cadbury Marion Greeves |
| Parent(s) | John Taylor Mary Jane Cash |
Dame Elizabeth Mary Cadbury was a very kind and helpful British lady. She was known for her amazing work to make life better for others. She was married to George Cadbury, who was famous for making delicious chocolate! She helped many people throughout her life, especially women and children.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Elizabeth was born on June 24, 1858, in Peckham Rye, London. She was one of ten children in her family. Her parents, John Taylor and Mary Jane Cash, were part of the Quaker community. They believed in helping others and were very active in movements that promoted adult education.
Elizabeth and her sister Margaret studied privately in Germany. Later, Elizabeth went to North London Collegiate School from 1874 to 1876. She did very well in her exams at Cambridge University but decided not to go to college.
After school, Elizabeth started doing important social work. She helped people in the poor areas of London and even in Paris. She also taught at a Sunday school for 40 boys in a tough part of south London. In 1884, she started a club for boys and worked with women living in difficult conditions. These activities were quite unusual for a young woman from a wealthy family at that time.
On June 19, 1888, Elizabeth married George Cadbury in London. George was a widower and already had five children. Together, Elizabeth and George had six more children: Laurence John, George Norman, Elsie Dorothea, Egbert, Marion Janet, and Ursula.
Elizabeth and George shared many interests. They both cared deeply about the temperance movement, which aimed to reduce alcohol use. They also loved helping adults learn new things. These shared interests brought them together and made them good friends and partners for many years.
Making a Difference in Bournville
Elizabeth and George played a huge part in building the special village of Bournville. This village was designed to be a great place for workers and their families to live. Elizabeth even opened the 200th house there herself!
In 1909, she opened the Woodland Hospital, which later became the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital. She also created The Beeches, a place where children from poor areas could go for holidays. Elizabeth worked hard to make sure children in schools received medical check-ups. She and George worked together to improve working and living conditions for women and children in Bournville.
After George Cadbury passed away in 1922, Elizabeth took over as Chairman of the Bournville Village Trust. She continued to support the growth of Bournville village for over 50 years, helping to build new homes and create a strong community.
Helping Women and Promoting Peace
Elizabeth was a strong supporter of education and welfare for women. She believed women should have equal opportunities, even though she wasn't a militant suffragist (someone who fought aggressively for women's right to vote). She also taught a class for the wives of her husband's students.
She helped start the Birmingham Union of Girls' Clubs in 1898. She was also very active in the Young Women’s Christian Association and the National Council for Women. She even became Vice President of the Electrical Association for Women, which encouraged using electricity in homes to make life easier for women.
Elizabeth was a dedicated pacifist, meaning she believed in peaceful ways to solve problems. In 1914, she became the first leader of the Peace and International Relations Committee of the National Council of Women. She worked hard to promote peace and supported the League of Nations, an organization created to prevent future wars.
During and after World War I, Elizabeth helped young refugees from Serbia and Austria who came to Birmingham. During World War II, she worked with Belgian refugees and continued her efforts with the International Council of Women after the war.
Public Service and Politics
Elizabeth Cadbury was also involved in local politics. She was a city councillor for King's Norton in Birmingham from 1919 to 1924. She was part of the Liberal Party and focused on improving housing, creating school health services, and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone. She also served as a magistrate, which meant she helped make decisions in local courts.
In 1936, when she was 78 years old, Elizabeth led the UK group to a big meeting of the International Council of Women in Calcutta, India.
Home Life at Manor Farm
The Cadbury family first lived at Woodbrooke until 1894. Then, they moved to Manor Farm, which is now called the Manor House, in Northfield. Elizabeth lived there until she passed away in 1951 at the age of 93. During World War II, she allowed the Friends' Ambulance Unit to use her grounds for training. Her home was also often used for garden parties to raise money for good causes.
At her 90th birthday party in 1948, 150 relatives came to celebrate with her! When she passed away, she had 37 grandchildren and 49 great-grandchildren.
Honours and Recognition
Elizabeth Cadbury received many awards for her amazing public service:
- In 1918, she was made an OBE, and in 1934, she became a DBE. These are special honours from the British government.
- The Belgian government honoured her in 1918 for helping refugees, making her an Officer of the Order of the Crown. Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians personally decorated her.
- The Red Cross organizations from Serbia, Greece, and Yugoslavia also gave her awards for her work during the wars.
- In 1919, the University of Birmingham gave her an honorary MA degree for her contributions to education and the city.
- The Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School in Birmingham is named after her to remember her legacy.
The ten medals Elizabeth Cadbury received throughout her life are now kept at the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham.
