Ellice Pilkington facts for kids

Ellice Pilkington (born September 1, 1869 – died August 24, 1936) was an important Irish woman. She was known for helping women and for her artistic talents.

Early Life and Family

Ellice Pilkington was born Louisa Ellice Benedicta Grattan Esmonde on September 1, 1869. Her father was John Esmonde, a Member of Parliament. Her mother was Louisa Esmonde. Ellice grew up in Ballynastragh, Gorey, County Wexford. She had four brothers and one sister.

Ellice studied art in Rome and was educated in Paris. In 1896, she married Captain Henry Lionel Pilkington. His family was from Tore, Tyrrellspass, County Westmeath. They lived in South Africa for a while. There, her husband led a military group during the Second Boer War. While in South Africa, Ellice taught in camps for people who had lost their homes. They had two daughters, Ellice Moira and Annette.

Helping Women in Ireland

Ellice Pilkington was a close friend of Horace Plunkett and George Russell. A speech by George Russell helped start the Society of the United Irishwomen (UI) in 1910. This group aimed to help women in rural Ireland.

Ellice was the first volunteer organizer for the UI. She was a key leader in its early years. In 1910, she traveled widely across Ireland. She started new branches of the UI, especially in the south and west. County Wexford was very successful thanks to her efforts.

When she visited County Donegal in 1910, Ellice saw how many young women were leaving Ireland. She felt this was a big problem for the countryside. Because of her observations, helping women stay in Ireland became a major goal for the UI.

In 1911, Ellice helped write a pamphlet called The United Irishwomen: their work, place and ideals. In her part, she wrote about how the UI helped rural women. She believed women could learn to create home businesses. She also taught them how to keep clean homes and provide healthy food for their families. Ellice strongly felt that women could improve Ireland by making their homes and communities better.

Her Artistic Work

Ellice Pilkington was also very interested in art in Ireland. In 1910, she wrote an article about Irish artists. She wished they would create their own unique Irish style. She felt they should not just copy European art. She saw George Russell as an artist who showed Irish national pride in his work.

Ellice herself was an artist. She painted scenes of Ireland. Her paintings were shown by the Dublin Sketching Club in 1914 and 1915. She also regularly exhibited her work with the Water Colour Society of Ireland from 1921 to 1936. For some time, she even served as the secretary for this group.

Later Life

Ellice Pilkington became a widow in 1914. In her later years, she was an active member of the Central Catholic Library Association. She was the president of its ladies' committee for several years. Ellice Pilkington passed away on August 24, 1936, in Ballsbridge, Dublin. She was buried in her family's vault in Tyrrellspass, County Westmeath.