Laura Ormiston Chant facts for kids
Laura Ormiston Dibbin Chant (born October 9, 1848 – died February 16, 1923) was an English woman who worked to make society better. She fought for women's rights and was also a writer.
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Life Story
Laura Chant was born in Woolaston, Gloucestershire, on October 9, 1848. Her father, Francis William Dibbin, was an engineer, and her mother, Sophia Ormiston, ran a school for girls.
In 1871, Laura worked as a governess, teaching children in their homes. Later, she decided to become a nurse. Her father did not agree with this choice and stopped supporting her. She worked as a nurse at the London Hospital.
While working, she met Thomas Chant, a doctor. They got married on September 13, 1877. They had four children: Thomas, Emmeline, Olive, and Ethel.
Laura Chant wrote and gave speeches about making society more pure, encouraging people to avoid alcohol, and fighting for women's rights. People who knew her called her "a helper of many." Her books, poems, and pamphlets showed the challenges women faced in her time. One of her most famous actions was protesting against certain music halls in 1894. She believed they encouraged bad behavior.
Laura Chant passed away in Banbury, Oxfordshire, on February 16, 1923.
Her Work
Nursing Career
Nursing was Laura Chant's first main job. She worked at the London Hospital, but she had to leave when she married Thomas Chant because of the hospital's rules at the time. She also helped manage a special hospital for people with mental health challenges.
In 1897, Laura Chant and six other English nurses traveled to Crete. They went to help and provide supplies during the Greco-Turkish War. Because of her efforts, the Royal family of Greece gave her the "Red Cross of Greece" award. She also went to Bulgaria to help Armenian refugees who had suffered during terrible events between 1894 and 1896.
Social Reform Efforts
The Empire Theater Protest
One of the most important causes Laura Chant supported was her protest against the Empire Theater of Varieties in Leicester Square. In her pamphlet Why We Attacked the Empire, she wrote that she was very concerned about some of the shows at this theater. She felt that the costumes and themes were not appropriate.
On October 10, 1894, Chant attended a meeting of the London County Council. This meeting was to decide if the Empire Theater's license should be renewed. She gave a long speech explaining her concerns about the theater's performances.
The theater's license was renewed on October 26, 1894. However, there were new rules: the open area where people walked around (called the promenade) had to be removed, and no alcoholic drinks could be sold in the main performance area. Screens were put up around the promenade, but protestors, including a young Winston Churchill, later pulled them down. They thought the rules were too strict for people who just wanted to socialize. Laura Chant was even made fun of in a popular song called "Her Golden Hair Was Hanging Down Her Back."
Her work to change the theater helped start bigger discussions about problems in music halls. Chant's efforts are seen as a major reason for the Music Hall Strike of 1907 in London. During this strike, theater workers protested for better pay and working hours.
Organizations She Joined
Laura Chant was involved in many important groups:
- International Council of Women (1888): Chant went to the United States to represent England at this women's rights meeting. Susan B. Anthony, a famous women's rights leader, praised Chant's poem "England to America" at the event.
- Social Purity Alliance
- Founding member of the National Vigilance Association: This group worked to enforce a law from 1885 that aimed to protect people from harm. Chant was the editor of their magazine, The Vigilance Record.
- Vice-president of the Peace Society: This group worked for peace.
- Founding member of the Women Guardians Society.
- Ladies National Association
- Women's Liberal Federation
- British Women's Temperance Association: This group encouraged people to avoid alcohol.
Public Speaker and Writer
Laura Chant traveled to many countries, including the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States of America. She gave speeches about avoiding alcohol and other important social issues. People said she could make her audience laugh or cry with her powerful words.
On May 30, 1890, she gave a speech in Boston called "How I Became a Total Abstainer." She talked about how alcohol can harm the brain. She believed that as people become more educated, they need their brains to be as sharp as possible.
Chant was also known for her speeches as a Christian preacher who welcomed all faiths. In 1893, she spoke at the Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago. Her speech was called "The Real Religion of Today." In it, she talked about how important it is to respect and appreciate the many different religions that exist to worship God.
She also wrote songs for children, called Action Songs for Children, and other music books. These books had simple songs with physical exercises for young children.
Selected Works
- Verona and Other Poems (1877)
- Why We Attacked the Empire (1894)
- Women and the Streets
- Sellcuts' Manager (1899)
See also
In Spanish: Laura Ormiston Chant para niños
