Isabella Bream Pearce facts for kids

Isabella Bream Pearce (born May 5, 1859 – died December 11, 1929) was an important person who worked for social change. She believed in socialism, which is a way of organizing society where everyone shares resources fairly. She also fought for women's right to vote. She was a leader in the Glasgow Labour Party and the Glasgow Women's Labour Party. She also helped make decisions for schools in Cathcart.

Early Life and Family

Isabella Bream Pearce was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on May 5, 1859. Her father, John Thomson Duncan, worked as a bookkeeper. Her mother's name was Margaret Fraser. Isabella married Charles Bream Pearce. He worked as a wine importer for an American group called the Brotherhood of the New Life.

Fighting for Women's Rights

Isabella Pearce was very active in politics during the 1890s. She was a strong member of the Independent Labour Party. This party worked to improve the lives of working people. She also held important roles in the Glasgow Labour Party. She was the vice-president of the main Labour Party group. She was also the president of the Glasgow Women's Labour Party. This group focused on issues important to women.

Isabella and her husband, Charles Bream Pearce, supported Keir Hardie. He was a famous leader who started the Labour Party. They gave money to his newspaper, Labour Leader. Isabella even wrote a regular column for the newspaper. It was called 'Matrons and Maidens'. She wrote it from 1894 to 1898. She used a special pen name, 'Lily Bell', so people wouldn't know it was her.

Working for Women's Equality

Isabella Pearce also worked with another important group called the Women's Emancipation Union (WEU). This group wanted women to have equal rights. Isabella contributed important ideas and papers to their meetings. She believed that women, especially working-class women, should not settle for less than what they deserved. She felt they should fight for their rights in both their jobs and their personal lives.

The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was a powerful group. They fought for women's right to vote in the United Kingdom. The WSPU had strong connections with the Independent Labour Party in Glasgow. Isabella Pearce was one of the first people to support the WSPU in Glasgow.

In 1906, Teresa Billington-Greig came to Scotland to help organize the WSPU there. Isabella Pearce was friends with Elizabeth Clarke Wolstenholme Elmy. Through this friendship, Teresa was introduced to Glasgow. Teresa then set up the WSPU's Scottish Council. Isabella Pearce became the treasurer, which meant she managed the group's money.

In February 1907, Teresa Billington-Greig got married at Isabella Pearce's home. Later that year, Teresa left the WSPU. After she left, Isabella Pearce and Grace Paterson took over. They became the joint secretaries of the WSPU's Scottish Council. This meant they shared the responsibility of leading the group in Scotland.