Isabel Grenfell Quallo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Isabel Grenfell Quallo
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Quallo, circa 1940
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| Born |
Grace Isabel Grenfell
4 April 1893 |
| Died | 21 September 1985 (aged 92) New York City, New York
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| Nationality | British American |
| Other names | Grace Quallo |
| Occupation | domestic, waitress, community activist |
| Partner(s) | Elsa Gidlow |
| Children | 8 |
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Isabel Grenfell Quallo (born April 4, 1893 – died September 21, 1985) was an important community activist. She was born in the Congo Free State and later became a British-American citizen. Isabel was known for helping to create a special community called Druid Heights in Marin County, California.
She was educated in England and then moved to Kingston, Jamaica with her mother. At 16, she married and later moved to New York City in 1914. Isabel worked hard to support her eight children. She was a domestic worker and a waitress. Through her work, she met the writer Elsa Gidlow. They became partners in developing Druid Heights. This community became a gathering place for people involved in new ideas and movements from the 1950s to the 1970s.
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Early life and family
Isabel Grenfell Quallo was born as Grace Isabel Grenfell. Her birthday was April 4, 1893, in Léopoldville, which was then part of the Congo Free State. Her parents were Patience Rosanna Edgerley and George Grenfell.
Her father's work
Isabel's father, George Grenfell, was a missionary and explorer. He created maps of the Congo Basin. This area included places like Mount Cameroon and several rivers. His work helped open these areas for missionary efforts. After his first wife passed away, George married Patience, Isabel's mother.
Her mother's background
Isabel's mother, Patience, was the daughter of missionaries from Jamaica. Her family had traveled to West Africa in 1843 to start a Baptist mission. Patience was born in Fernando Po, Equatorial Guinea. She and George had eight children together. Isabel was the youngest of their four daughters who survived.
Education and move to Jamaica
Isabel started school in Bolobo in 1898. By 1903, she joined her older sisters, Carrie and Gertrude, in England. They attended school at Walthamstow Hall in Sevenoaks, Kent. Their teacher there was Emily Mary Watts.
Isabel's father, George Grenfell, died on July 1, 1906. After his death, the family lived in Cornwall, England, for a short time. In 1908, Isabel and her mother moved to Kingston, Jamaica. Her sisters, Carrie and Gertrude, later joined them there.
Marriage and children
On August 15, 1909, Isabel married Arthur Hubert Quallo in Saint Catherine Parish, Jamaica. Arthur was a hotel owner. Isabel and Arthur had two daughters, Yolanda (born 1910) and Patience (born 1911). They also had twin daughters in 1912.
In 1914, the family moved to New York City. Four more children were born there: Grace Olivia (1915), George (1917), Phyllis (1919), and Arthur (1922). Isabel faced challenges in her marriage. By 1928, her husband was dealing with health issues.
Career and community work
Isabel's early education focused on skills for being a wife. This included needlework and dancing. However, these skills did not help her support her children. Her husband had spent their money, leaving no savings.
Supporting her family
Isabel needed to provide for her large family. She first worked as a domestic worker for a clergyman. Later, she found a better-paying job as a waitress in the theater district. She worked hard to make sure her children were cared for. Her mother passed away in 1928, and her last living sibling died in 1930. Her husband died in 1935.
Meeting Elsa Gidlow
In 1946, Isabel met the writer Elsa Gidlow through friends. Elsa lived in California, and Isabel lived in New York. So, they started their friendship by writing letters. Isabel shared her life story and how difficult it was to adjust to life in the United States. She explained the challenges she faced due to segregation.
Elsa soon invited Isabel to visit her in California. In mid-1947, Isabel traveled to California. She was unsure how long she would stay. Elsa assured Isabel that her community was welcoming and open-minded.
Life in California
Isabel moved into Elsa Gidlow's home in Fairfax, Marin County, California. They hosted intellectual evenings with students and teachers. They faced some challenges because of their diverse friendships.
When Elsa's mother, Alice May, became ill, Isabel helped care for her. Isabel had experience as a nurse's aide. Alice moved into their home, and Isabel provided constant care for nine months. Meanwhile, Elsa worked as a journalist to support them.
Creating Druid Heights
In 1954, Elsa Gidlow bought a 5-acre property in rural Marin County. It was near Muir Woods. Elsa wanted to create a community for her friends. The property was found by Roger Somers and his wife Mary. They did not have enough money to buy it.
Even though it was hard for single women to get loans then, Elsa managed to borrow money. Her friend Dorothy Erskine helped by providing collateral for the loan. The two couples, Isabel and Elsa, and Roger and Mary, shared the property. They named it Druid Heights. They moved in just before the summer solstice.
The group worked together to fix up the two houses on the property. They also changed the barns and set up water pipes for the buildings and gardens. For the first few years, Isabel helped develop Druid Heights. This place became a popular spot for people with new ideas and feminists. In 1957, Isabel returned to Manhattan to care for two of her daughters who were having health issues.
Death and legacy
Isabel Grenfell Quallo passed away on September 21, 1985, in New York City. The letters she wrote to Elsa Gidlow are kept safe. They are in the archives of the GLBT Historical Society in San Francisco. These letters help us learn about her life and contributions.
