Organiser for the Women's Freedom League

26

Single

65 Gloucester Crescent, London.

WFL

Evades

Ethel Margaret Turner, known as Madge, was born in Chichester, West Sussex, on the 24th of July 1884. Her parents ran a successful grocery business. Local newspaper reports show that she was a Liberal from a young age and became a well-known speaker at political meetings. In June 1908, Madge assisted Muriel Matters when the Women’s Freedom League’s Caravan Campaign reached Chichester during its tour of south eastern England. A local branch of the WFL, based in Midhurst, was formed in July 1908. In February 1909, Madge – representing the West Sussex branch of the WFL - was one of 50-60 women arrested for obstructing the police while attempting to bear a resolution to the Prime Minister; she was sentenced to 14 days imprisonment in Holloway. On her release, Madge returned to West Sussex and spoke of her experiences at meetings in Midhurst and Chichester, where she met with a decidedly mixed reception. After her imprisonment, Madge became a more prominent speaker for the WFL before becoming an Organiser, which saw her leave West Sussex and work around the country on behalf of the WFL. By 1911, Madge was living with Alison Neilans at 65 Gloucester Crescent, London, and the circumstances surrounding the 1911 census return for that address are curious. Madge and Alison as WFL members evaded the census and were not present at Gloucester Crescent on census night. Therefore, the scant details (see image) are filled in by the registrar including those for another resident Lily Scott, a waitress in a coffee bar. However, it appears the women were found ‘wandering’ in Hampstead Road (several streets away from Gloucester Crescent) by police in an attempt to evade the census as the registrar makes note on the census cover for the address (see image). He refers to the incident being the subject of a 'Police report' on the bottom left of the census for Gloucester Crescent -though it is not clear whether this transpired. Since Madge and Alison evaded the census, no details are given of their employment, although Alison had been heavily involved in the administration of the WFL during its foundation years, serving on its National Executive Council. In 1919, Madge was appointed Assistant Secretary and Librarian for the Association for Moral and Social Hygiene (Alison had been appointed Secretary in 1917), and also edited its monthly publication, The Shield. By 1918, Madge and Alison had moved to Asmun’s Place, Hampstead Garden Suburbs, where they would live together for the rest of their lives. They continued to work together for the Association for Moral and Society Hygiene, where Madge assumed the role of Secretary after ill health forced Alison to retire in 1941. As well as fulfilling her role as Secretary, Madge nursed Alison for two years, until her death in 1943. Madge retired from the Association in 1945, having written several publications on the life and work of Josephine Butler, including one in collaboration with Millicent Fawcett. A keen gardener, Madge was asked to write a book about the flowering plants of Great Britain. Although her own death on 19th February 1948 meant she was not able to correct the proofs, her detailed and meticulously researched book, ‘Common British Flowers’, was published later that same year. Madge was buried at St Mary’s church, Kenardington (Kent), where she and Alison had spent many happy weekends and holidays together. Sources: Nichola Court ‘The Chichester Martyr’ in Chichester History (The Journal of the Chichester Local History Society), No. 35 Summer 2019; Chichester Observer, 1900-1909 Bognor Observer, 1906-1908 Women’s Franchise, 1908-1909 Votes for Women, 1908-1909 The Vote, 1909-1911 Obituary for Ethel Margaret (Madge) Turner, London School of Economics [LSE], Women’s Library (3AMS/A/07/23 TURNER) Electoral registers, Hendon parish (1918-1948) Census returns (1891, 1901, 1911) Probate calendars and will of Madge Turner Index of suffragettes elected (The National Archives) Parish registers, St Peter the Great, Chichester (West Sussex Record Office); J Liddington, Vanishing for the Vote: Suffrage, Citizenship and the Battle for the Census ( Manchester, 2014). Contributed by Nichola Court, Archivist, West Sussex Record Office.