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{{Short description|Scottish suffragist (1854–1938)}} |
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| ⚫ | '''Frances Helen Simson''' (1854–1938) was a Scottish [[suffragist]], campaigner for women's higher education and one of the first of eight women graduates from the [[University of Edinburgh]] in 1893.<ref name=":1">{{Cite |
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| ⚫ | '''Frances Helen Simson''' (1854–1938) was a Scottish [[suffragist]], campaigner for women's higher education and one of the first of eight women graduates from the [[University of Edinburgh]] in 1893.<ref name=":1">{{Cite ODNB|title = Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|url = http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/60799| date=2004 | doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/60799 |access-date = 2016-02-17}}</ref> |
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== Early life == |
== Early life == |
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Born in Edinburgh on 2 April 1854, Simson was one of the nine children of Jane Christiana Aberdein (''b''. 1820) and William Simson (1811–1858), secretary of the [[Bank of Scotland]].<ref name=":3" /> She lived with her family in Eton Terrace, [[New Town, Edinburgh|New Town]], for much of her life.<ref name=":1" /> |
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== Education == |
== Education == |
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Simson was the eldest, at 38 years of age, of all the women who graduated in Masters of Arts, made possible by the [[Ancient university governance in Scotland|Universities (Scotland) Act of 1889]].<ref name=":2" /> In 1867, Simson had enrolled in degree classes delivered by the [[Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women]] (EAUEW; formerly the [[Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association]], ELEA, founded in 1867).<ref name=":1" /> |
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== Women's Rights == |
== Women's Rights == |
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Together with [[Margaret Nairn]], Elsie Inglis, [[Frances Melville]] and [[Chrystal Macmillan]], Simson petitioned the right for five women graduates to vote for the university MP at the general election of 1906 to no avail.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|title |
Together with [[Margaret Nairn]], [[Elsie Inglis]], [[Frances Melville]] and [[Chrystal Macmillan]], Simson petitioned the right for five women graduates to vote for the university [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MP]] at the general election of 1906 to no avail.<ref name=":3">{{Cite book|last=Leneman|first=Leah|title=A guid cause: The women's suffrage movement in Scotland|publisher=Mercat|year=1995|isbn=1873644485|pages=215, 270}}</ref> Women did not have the right to vote in elections, but Simson and the others wanted to make this a test case, so went to an appeal in November 1907, which also failed. The group then were rallied to raise £1000 to support mounting their case for women graduates to be given the vote, to the [[House of Lords]] in November 1908 where Macmillan opened and performed as senior counsel, with Simson making general argument and closing the case on 12 November.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title = Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women, 1867-1967|publisher = William Bishop, Market Street. Edinburgh.|pages = 17}}</ref> Margaret Nairn wrote to Simson on 17 November 1908, thanking her for speaking in their cause, and saying that 'y''our words and Miss Macmillan's will go down in history''<nowiki/>' and quoted [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]]'s ''[[Love's Labour's Lost|Love’s Labours Lost.]] Act IV. Sc. 1. ’and praise we may afford to any lady that subdues a Lord!’'' (original letter is in the University of Edinburgh archives).<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Scottish suffragettes speak up|url=https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/vote-100/the-university-of-edinburghs-suffragettes/the-scottish-suffragettes-speak-up|access-date=2021-03-29|website=The University of Edinburgh|language=en}}</ref> |
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Some women did not get the right to vote for members of parliament in the UK until the passing of the ''Representation of the People Act 1918''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Smith|first=Harold L.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WraOAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA95|title=The British Women's Suffrage Campaign 1866-1928: Revised 2nd Edition|date=2014-05-12|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1-317-86225-3|language=en}}</ref> Simson was also the president of the [[Scottish Universities Women's Suffrage Union,]] and affiliated to [[National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies|NUWSS]].<ref name=":3" /> |
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== Later life == |
== Later life == |
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In October 1933, the year University of Edinburgh celebrated its 350th anniversary, Simson was awarded an honorary degree of LLD, as the only woman graduand, recognising her responsibility in the university education of women.<ref name=":0" /> Later that year, at the time she was president of the [[Edinburgh Equal Citizenship Society]] |
In October 1933, the year University of Edinburgh celebrated its 350th anniversary, Simson was awarded an honorary degree of LLD, as the only woman graduand, recognising her responsibility in the university education of women.<ref name=":0" /> Later that year, at the time she was president of the [[Edinburgh Equal Citizenship Society]] which emerged from the national group successor to the NUWSS, and was working with [[Rosaline Masson]], and honoured in a luncheon held at the site of the former [[Caledonian Hotel]] on Princes Street, Edinburgh.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url = https://www.proquest.com/docview/489743114/|title = DR FRANCES H. SIMSON: Woman Pioneer Honoured EDINBURGH LUNCHEON|date = 2 November 1933|work = The Scotsman|access-date = 18 February 2016}}</ref> [[Alexandra Mary Chalmers Watson|Lady Alexandra Watson]], [[Sarah Siddons|Dame Sarah Siddons]], Dr [[Frances Melville]], Professor [[E. T. Whittaker|E.T. Whittaker]], and Dr [[Marion Gilchrist (doctor)|Marion Gilchrist]] were among, hundred-plus guests that attended the event in honour of her work campaigning for women's education.<ref name=":0" /> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{Women's suffrage in Scotland}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Simson, Frances}} |
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[[Category:1854 births]] |
[[Category:1854 births]] |
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[[Category:1938 deaths]] |
[[Category:1938 deaths]] |
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[[Category:Scottish |
[[Category:Scottish suffragists]] |
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[[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh]] |
[[Category:Alumni of the University of Edinburgh]] |
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[[Category:People from Edinburgh]] |
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Latest revision as of 09:51, 11 April 2024
Frances Helen Simson (1854–1938) was a Scottish suffragist, campaigner for women's higher education and one of the first of eight women graduates from the University of Edinburgh in 1893.[1]
Early life
[edit]Born in Edinburgh on 2 April 1854, Simson was one of the nine children of Jane Christiana Aberdein (b. 1820) and William Simson (1811–1858), secretary of the Bank of Scotland.[2] She lived with her family in Eton Terrace, New Town, for much of her life.[1]
Education
[edit]Simson was the eldest, at 38 years of age, of all the women who graduated in Masters of Arts, made possible by the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1889.[3] In 1867, Simson had enrolled in degree classes delivered by the Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women (EAUEW; formerly the Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association, ELEA, founded in 1867).[1]
Women's Rights
[edit]Together with Margaret Nairn, Elsie Inglis, Frances Melville and Chrystal Macmillan, Simson petitioned the right for five women graduates to vote for the university MP at the general election of 1906 to no avail.[2] Women did not have the right to vote in elections, but Simson and the others wanted to make this a test case, so went to an appeal in November 1907, which also failed. The group then were rallied to raise £1000 to support mounting their case for women graduates to be given the vote, to the House of Lords in November 1908 where Macmillan opened and performed as senior counsel, with Simson making general argument and closing the case on 12 November.[1][3] Margaret Nairn wrote to Simson on 17 November 1908, thanking her for speaking in their cause, and saying that 'your words and Miss Macmillan's will go down in history' and quoted Shakespeare's Love’s Labours Lost. Act IV. Sc. 1. ’and praise we may afford to any lady that subdues a Lord!’ (original letter is in the University of Edinburgh archives).[4]
Some women did not get the right to vote for members of parliament in the UK until the passing of the Representation of the People Act 1918.[5] Simson was also the president of the Scottish Universities Women's Suffrage Union, and affiliated to NUWSS.[2]
Simson was warden of Masson Hall of Residence for Women Students in Edinburgh from 1897 to 1917.[2]
Later life
[edit]In October 1933, the year University of Edinburgh celebrated its 350th anniversary, Simson was awarded an honorary degree of LLD, as the only woman graduand, recognising her responsibility in the university education of women.[6] Later that year, at the time she was president of the Edinburgh Equal Citizenship Society which emerged from the national group successor to the NUWSS, and was working with Rosaline Masson, and honoured in a luncheon held at the site of the former Caledonian Hotel on Princes Street, Edinburgh.[6] Lady Alexandra Watson, Dame Sarah Siddons, Dr Frances Melville, Professor E.T. Whittaker, and Dr Marion Gilchrist were among, hundred-plus guests that attended the event in honour of her work campaigning for women's education.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/60799. Retrieved 17 February 2016. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ a b c d Leneman, Leah (1995). A guid cause: The women's suffrage movement in Scotland. Mercat. pp. 215, 270. ISBN 1873644485.
- ^ a b Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women, 1867-1967. William Bishop, Market Street. Edinburgh. p. 17.
- ^ "The Scottish suffragettes speak up". The University of Edinburgh. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ^ Smith, Harold L. (12 May 2014). The British Women's Suffrage Campaign 1866-1928: Revised 2nd Edition. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-317-86225-3.
- ^ a b c "DR FRANCES H. SIMSON: Woman Pioneer Honoured EDINBURGH LUNCHEON". The Scotsman. 2 November 1933. Retrieved 18 February 2016.