Domestic nurse, author and suffrage worker

36

Single

48 Rutland Gardens, Hove, Sussex

CLWS

Resists

Evelyne Charlotte Middleton Close (1875-1935) was born in Plumstead, the third of five children of Prudence and Richard Close, clergyman. In 1901 Evelyne was a domestic nurse in the household of Rev. Frederick Lewis Donaldson, his wife Sarah and their five children in St. Mark’s, Leicester. While in Leicester, Evelyne joined the Women’s Social and Political Union. She spoke in support of Mrs Pankhurst at a meeting in September 1907. In February 1908 at Welford Coffee House, Leicester, Evelyne moved a resolution calling for the release of members of the Women’s Freedom League sentenced to imprisonment. According to ‘Votes for Women’, she contributed 2s 6d to the £20,000 fund in April 1908. By 1911 Evelyne was living at 48, Rutland Gardens, Hove with her mother Prudence, aunt Naomi and sisters, Kate and Ethel. On the census form, Evelyne describes herself as a domestic nurse, author and suffrage worker. In the column headed ‘Infirmity’ the word ‘Disenfranchised’ was written making Evelyne along with her sister Ethel census resisters. Her older sister Katherine Close evaded the 1911 census for 48 Rutland Gardens, Hove as did her married sister (see) Elizabeth Close Shipham in Lewisham. Evelyne Close’s first novel ‘The Harvest’ was published in 1911 and was advertised in ‘The Vote’. In October 1911 she gave a speech to Greenwich Church League for Women’s Suffrage (CLWS) where her sister, Elizabeth was Branch secretary. At the AGM in February 1912, the Brighton and Hove CLWS elected Katherine Close Branch Secretary so sisters Evelyne and Ethel also joined the committee. Meetings were held at 48 Rutland Gardens, Hove until an office was rented in Brighton in 1913. The CLWS General Council meeting was held in July 1913 in Brighton and Hove and organised by Katherine Close and the rest of the committee. Evelyne’s employer in 1901, Rev Frederick Lewis Donaldson, attended the meeting. Evelyne gave a lecture on infant mortality in January 1914 to the CLWS. She published ‘The Roll of Honour’ in 1915, one of the earliest novels to reflect the war and it received good reviews. Evelyne went on to publish several more novels throughout her career. She died in Hove in 1935. Researched & contributed by local and family historian Margaret Scott who is related to the Shipham family.