Lady Griselda Cheape facts for kids
Lady Griselda Johanna Helen Cheape (born December 20, 1865 – died February 12, 1934) was a British woman who campaigned against women getting the right to vote. This movement was called anti-suffrage.
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Who Was Lady Griselda Cheape?
Lady Griselda Cheape was an important figure in the movement that opposed women's suffrage. Suffrage means the right to vote in elections. While many people, including women, fought for women to gain the right to vote, Lady Griselda believed it was not the best path for women.
Her Early Life
Griselda Ogilvy was born in a place called Angus, in Scotland, on December 20, 1865. She was the sixth child in her family. Her parents were Henrietta Blanche Stanley and Sir David Graham Drummond Ogilvy, who was the Earl of Airlie.
Family and Home Life
In 1897, Griselda Ogilvy married James Cheape. His home was in a place called Strathtyrum. Together, they had three children.
Helping Others: Nursing and Temperance
Lady Griselda was very interested in caring for children. She studied nursing at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh. She also helped at other hospitals, including the Pendlebury Sick Children's Home in Manchester, the Dundee Royal Infirmary, and the London Temperance Hospital.
She also strongly supported the idea of temperance. This was a movement that encouraged people to drink less alcohol or no alcohol at all. Lady Griselda was active in the British Women's Temperance Association (BWTA), which promoted this cause.
Why She Opposed Women's Vote
Lady Griselda Cheape became a leading voice in Scotland against women getting the right to vote. This movement was known as the Scottish National Women's Anti-Suffragette League (WASL).
Starting Anti-Suffrage Groups
In 1909, Lady Griselda started a branch of the WASL in St Andrews. Interestingly, the British Women's Temperance Association (BWTA), which she was part of, generally supported women's right to vote. However, the St Andrews branch of the BWTA, where Lady Cheape was president from 1909 to 1912, was against it.
In 1913, Lady Griselda formed another anti-suffrage group in St Andrews called the 'Beehive'. She was also the president of the St Andrews Branch of the Scottish League for Opposing Women's Suffrage. She believed that women's influence was best used in other ways, rather than through direct politics.
Later Years
Lady Griselda Johanna Helen Cheape passed away in 1934 in London.
