Mary Stewart Kilgour facts for kids

Mary Stewart Kilgour (born September 24, 1851 – died 1955) was an amazing woman who worked hard for women's rights. She was a suffragist, which means she fought for women to have the right to vote. She was also an educator, helping to shape how people learned, and a writer who shared her ideas.

Early Life and Family

Mary Stewart Kilgour was one of 13 children! Her father, Dr. John Stewart Kilgour, was a doctor from Scotland, and her mother was Susan Anne Archer. Mary was born in 1851 in a place called Longford, which was then known as Van Diemen’s Land. Today, we call it Tasmania, an island in Australia.

When Mary was just three years old, in 1854, her family moved back to Britain. They lived in several different places, including Worcester, London, Exmouth, and the Isle of Man. Around 1860, they finally settled down in Cheltenham.

Working for Women's Rights

Mary Kilgour believed strongly that women should have more opportunities and a bigger say in society. She worked with other brave women to make this happen.

Founding College Hall

In 1882, Mary teamed up with Annie Leigh Browne, Annie's sister Mary, and Henrietta Müller. Together, they started College Hall, London. This was a special place that offered a home and support for women who were studying at the University of London. It helped many young women get a good education.

Supporting Local Government

Mary was also very involved with the Women's Local Government Society. This group worked to help women get involved in local government, like city councils, so they could make decisions about their communities. Mary took over as the honorary treasurer (like a money manager) for the society from 1892 to 1900. After her, Mary Browne (who later became Lady Lockyer) continued in the role until 1918.

Fighting for the Right to Vote

Mary Kilgour was active in the Liberal Party, a political group in Britain. She helped create a group called the Union of Practical Suffragists. A suffragist is someone who supports women's right to vote. Mary even helped write some of the group's pamphlets, which were like small booklets explaining their ideas and encouraging people to support women's voting rights.

Mary Kilgour's Writings

Mary Kilgour used her writing skills to share her important messages about women's roles in society and education. She wrote several pamphlets, which are short publications, to explain her views and encourage change. Some of her writings included:

• Women as Members of Local Sanitary Authorities (1896) – This pamphlet talked about how women could help improve public health in their local areas.
• Women and the London Government Bill (1899) – This discussed how new laws affected women's involvement in London's government.
• Position of women in secondary education (1899) – This looked at the opportunities for girls and young women in high school education.

Mary Kilgour dedicated her life to making the world a fairer place for women, leaving behind a legacy of hard work and important ideas.