Women's Local Government Society facts for kids
The Women's Local Government Society was a British group that worked to help women get involved in local government. At first, they focused on getting women elected to county councils. Later, their goal expanded to include other local government jobs, like serving on school boards.
How It Started
The idea for this group came from an earlier association of local voters. This first group was started by Amelia Charles, Caroline Biggs, Mrs. Evans, and Lucy Wilson, with help from Annie Leigh Browne. Their first goal was to get women involved in church leadership.
In November 1888, twelve women formed a new group. They called it the Society for Promoting the Return of Women as County Councillors. This meeting happened at Sarah Amos's house. Key members included Elizabeth Lidgett and her sister Mary Bunting. Annie Leigh Browne led this new group. Their main job was to find good women to run for elections.
Growing and Changing
Annie Leigh Browne helped fund the group in its early days. Other important members were Eva McLaren, the Marchioness of Aberdeen, Louisa Temple Mallett, and Millicent Garret Fawcett. Millicent Garret Fawcett also helped start Newnham College.
In 1893, the group changed its name to the Women's Local Government Society. This new name showed that they wanted women to be involved in all parts of local politics. They didn't just want them in county councils anymore. The main goal of this society was to get women elected to local government positions.
Early Successes and Challenges
One of their first big wins was when two women, Jane Cobden and Lady Margaret Sandhurst, were elected to the London County Council. This was possible because of a law called the Local Government Act 1888. This law didn't say that women couldn't be candidates.
However, a court later decided that this was a mistake. The court ruled that women should not have been allowed to serve. The Society tried hard to change this court decision, but they were not successful. Still, in 1894, new laws allowed women to run for less important local roles.
More Victories
In 1894, Emma Maitland was elected to the London School Board. She represented Chelsea and cared a lot about education for blind or deaf children. School boards were later removed by a new law in 1902. They were replaced by local education authorities.
The Women's Local Government Society argued that women should still serve on these new authorities. They felt it was a step backward because women had been helping on school boards since the 1870s. A big win for the Society came in 1907. This was when the Qualification of Women (County and Borough Councils) Act was passed. This law officially allowed women to serve on county and borough councils.
