Mary Anderson Snodgrass facts for kids

Mary Anderson Snodgrass (born in 1862, died in 1945) was an important Scottish politician. She worked hard for women's rights and was a suffragist, meaning she fought for women to have the right to vote.

Early Life and Education

Mary Anderson Snodgrass was born in Milton, Scotland, in 1862. Her father was a grain merchant, which means he bought and sold grain like wheat and corn. Mary lived most of her life in Partick, a part of Glasgow.

She went to Queen Margaret College (Glasgow). After her studies, she helped create the Queen Margaret Settlement. This was a special place connected to the college. Its goal was to help people who were struggling, especially women and children. Mary was a big part of this organization until 1934. She was the honorary treasurer, managing its money, from 1900.

Fighting for Women's Rights

Mary was a strong supporter of women's rights. She was a member of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Association for Women's Suffrage. This group worked to get women the right to vote.

Later, she became the leader of a group called the Glasgow Society of Equal Citizenship. This group helped women run for important jobs in public life. They supported women who wanted to be elected to local councils and even to parliament.

Political Career in Glasgow

In 1920, Mary Anderson Snodgrass made history. She was one of five women elected to the Glasgow Town Council. This council helps run the city of Glasgow. She represented the Anderston Ward from 1920 to 1922. The other women elected at that time were Mary Barbour, Eleanor Stewart, Jessica Baird-Smith, and Mary Bell.

Mary lost her election in 1922, but she didn't give up! She ran again in 1923 for the Kelvinside Ward. This time, she won and served on the council until 1933. From 1926 to 1929, she was a bailie of Glasgow. A bailie is like a local official who helps with city laws and order.

By 1933, Mary was well-known and respected. People called her the "mother of the flock" of female town councillors in Glasgow. This showed how much she had helped and inspired other women in politics.

Mary Anderson Snodgrass passed away in December 1945.