Teacher

42

Married

The Knoll, Beardall Street, Hucknall, Nottingham

NUWSS

Complies

Sarah was born in Derby in 1869 moving to Hucknall as a young teacher at Beardall Infant School in 1887. After two years of training she became headteacher at Morton Infant school near Tibshelf. In 1894 she married Joseph Merrick and the couple lived in Walsall and Upper Broughton before moving to The Knoll on Beardall Street, Hucknall. Sarah was highly active in public life and supportive of women’s suffrage joining several demonstrations in London. In 1910, Helena Dowson held a meeting in Hucknall and by 1913 Sarah was running the Hucknall branch of NUWSS over a teashop in the High Street. In 1911, Sarah complied with the census appearing at home in Beardall Street, but does not give an occupation. Neither is the exact position of 'The Knoll' in Beardall Street clear and so its location on the map is approximate. Sarah was also secretary to the British Women’s Temperance Society and became the first woman Poor Law Guardian for Basford Board serving in the Labour Party's interests. Sarah fought strongly in this position for better conditions for the poor. She also stood as a Labour County Councillor but was not successful. It is also interesting to note that her husband was a prominent Liberal. Sarah was for many years associated with the Adult School movement being both president and secretary of the Hucknall Woman’s Branch for a time and Minutes Secretary for the County. She died aged 65 at Vernon Lodge Nursing home on Waverley Street in Nottingham, and is buried in Hucknall. Researched and contributed by Nottingham Women's History group www.nottinghamwomenshistory.org.uk. Sources: No Surrender! Women's Suffrage in Nottinghamshire, Rowena Edlin-White (Ed.) Nottingham Women's History Group ISBN:978-1-900074-31-