Florence Balgarnie facts for kids
Florence Balgarnie (born August 19, 1856 – died March 25, 1928) was an important British woman who worked for many good causes. She was a suffragette, which means she fought for women to have the right to vote. She was also a speaker, a pacifist (someone who believes in peace, not war), a feminist (someone who supports equal rights for women), and a temperance activist (someone who worked to reduce alcohol use). Florence was a strong supporter of the Liberal political party and started working for women's right to vote when she was just seventeen years old.
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Early Life and Beginnings
Where Florence Balgarnie Grew Up
Florence Balgarnie was born in Scarborough, England, on August 19, 1856. Her father, Rev. Robert Balgarnie, was a well-known church minister. Her mother was Martha Rooke. Florence grew up with two younger sisters, including one named Mary.
Florence Balgarnie's Career and Activism
Becoming a Public Speaker
In 1883, Florence Balgarnie was elected to the Scarborough School Board. This was a great place for her to develop her skills as a speaker. People in her hometown expected great things from her future. Around 1884, Florence started speaking in public. At first, she was a little scared, but it soon became something she enjoyed.
Working for Temperance
When Florence moved to London in 1884 or 1886, she became very interested in the temperance movement. This movement aimed to reduce or stop the use of alcohol. She spoke about temperance very often. Once, at a large temperance meeting in Derby, England, she spoke to thousands of people outdoors. She was very good at talking to crowds, and even someone who tried to interrupt her speech ended up agreeing with her!
Fighting for Women's Rights
By 1889, Florence was the secretary of the Central National Society for Women's Suffrage. This group worked to get women the right to vote. She later became an organizing secretary for the British Women's Temperance Association. She held this job until 1895. After that, she continued to speak and write about temperance and other important causes. She even wrote a paper in 1894 called A plea for the appointment of police matrons at police stations. This paper argued for women to be hired as police matrons, who would help women in police stations.
International Work and Other Causes
In 1902, Florence traveled to Washington, D.C., in the United States. There, she represented the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies at an important meeting called the First Conference of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance. This showed her dedication to women's rights on a global scale.
Florence was also involved with many other groups. These included the International Arbitration & Peace Association, which worked for peace, and the British Anti-lynching League, which fought against violence. She also helped start the executive committee of the People's Suffrage Federation. This group worked to make sure more people had the right to vote.
Later Life
Florence Balgarnie passed away in Florence, Italy, on March 25, 1928. She was buried in a cemetery there called Cimitero degli Allori.
See also
In Spanish: Florence Balgarnie para niños
