Artist and Suffragette

28

Single

Holly Lodge, Cradley, Malvern

WSPU

Resists

Mary Gertrude Oldfield Howey (1882-1967) was the older sister of Elsie Howey, one of the most prominent militant suffragettes. She was born in Finningley, Yorkshire, where her father was vicar. Mary was a delegate at the Caxton Hall Parliament of Women and campaigned in the south west of England. She was arrested in 1908 and subsequently planted a tree at Annie's Arboretum in Bath and was photographed by Colonel Blathwayt with Elsie in 1909. Her mother (see) Getrude and sister Elsie evaded the government's 1911 census survey, but Mary resisted writing "Votes for Women" in large capital letters on the census form, and described herself and Gladys Pritchard her servant as "not franchised". Interestingly, she wrote this in the column designated for 'Infirmities'. Contributed by Herefordshire community fundraiser Clare Wichbold, MBE. Sources: see: https://suffragettestories.omeka.net/bio-mary-howey