Women in Birmingham's history of philanthropy
This post is a slight aside from the history of disabled people in Birmingham but we were prompted to research this information about the role of women in Birmingham's modern history from a discussion about women philanthropists in the city such as Louisa Ryland, Alice Beale and Elizabeth Cadbury.
The work of many of these women arguably contributed to the city's deeply embedded culture of liberal thinking and corporate social conciousness which had it's roots in Victorian philanthropy.
Long before feminism or even the suffragette movement, Birmingham had a tradition of strong, independent women who worked to support excluded and vulnerable communities or campaigned for social change and justice. With the enlightenment of modern thinking, some people might dismiss Victorian philanthropy as misguided and patronising, though under closer scrutiny we invariably find very well founded principles around empowerment and justice, with charity often closely linked to political activism and social change.
During the 19th century many middle class Birmingham women became well known for their philanthropy and charitable work in the city. The names include: Mary Showell Rogers, the founder of the Ladies Association for the Care of Friendless Girls; Joanna Hill who set up foster homes for pauper children; Susan Martineau who helped establish a Homeopathic Hospital and worked to encourage poor people to save; Dr Mary Sturge, a suffragette and well known for her work at the Women’s Hospital; Alice Beale, first president of the Birmingham Settlement; Julia Lloyd who set up nurseries for the children of the poor; Catherine Osler, a lifelong campaigner for women’s rights and vice-president of the National Union of Women Workers; Julia Varley, a union activist who was awarded the OBE for her work on women’s rights and first woman member of the Birmingham Trades Council; Louisa Ryland known for contributing huge amounts of land and money to the people of Birmingham; Elizabeth Cadbury whose life was dedicated to the service of others; and Ellen Pinsent, first woman to be elected to Birmingham City Council.
Elsewhere in the West Midlands we discover Mary MacArthur, the woman who led the famous Women Chainmakers Strike in Cradley Heath in 1910 and Walsall's celebrated Sister Dora.
In recent years Birmingham's tradition of emminent women has been continued through a long line of female politicians who have not only held their own in a male dominated political system but more often than not, been leaders and spokeswomen. Clare Short, Lynne Jones, Gisela Stuart, Jill Knight and Estelle Morris spring to mind immediately and let us not forget Theresa Stewart who was the first female leader of Birmingham City Council during the 1990s and Lord Mayor between 2000 and 2001. Other lady Lord Mayors of Birmingham have included Marjorie Brown (1973-74) who was the city’s first lady Mayor, Freda Cocks (1977-78), Sybil Spence (1997-98) and Sue Anderson (1998-99).
Other well known women who served on the City Council in the last century include Ellen Crosskey who served in Washwood Heath during the 1950s, Doris Fisher of Duddeston who became a life peer in 1974 and Edith Willis who was a councillor in Duddeston in the 1930s prior to becoming Birmingham’s first ever female MP in 1945.
In the disabled people's movement in the city in recent years we can add even more names to the roll call of 'sisters' including Ruth Rolfe (founder of the West Midlands Council For Preparatory Training and a founder member of West Midlands Council for the Disabled), Irene Wright and Jenny Poyner (both access campaigners), Katherine Walsh, Maria Malezko, Terry Vincent, Sandra Daniels and Tracy Surgeoner (disability activists),Laura Cale (former director of Disability West Midlands) and Louise Simmons (current CEO of BDRC). I can add many, many more names to the roll call of educators, activists, leaders and agents of progress whom I have personally known over the past few years such as Christine Chidzomba, Sue McCorkinadale, Sue Jones, Mary Smith, Cassie Holdsworth, Pauline Roache - all of whom have promoted the rights of disabled people generally and on occasion those of disabled women specifically.
Can you add more names to the list? Who have we blatantly forgotten to mention?