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Well behaved women rarely make history These notes are intended to be used only for a tour of Key Hill Cemetery. The tour was split into four themes: Firsts, identity, class and trailblazers. Firsts Constance Naden 1858 - 1889 Writer, poet, polymath Constance was born 24th January 1858, at 15 Francis Road, Edgbaston. Her mother died a fortnight after giving birth and Constance was raised by her maternal grandparents, in nearby Pakenham House on the corner of Charlotte Road and Pakenham Road, where there is a blue plaque commemorating her life. As a child, she was educated at a private day school in Frederick Road and made good use of her grandfather’s extensive library. Later she enrolled in Mason Science College, later Birmingham University. It was here she came under the influence of Dr Robert Lewins, who founded a gold medal, the Constance Naden medal, in her honor. In 1887 she won the ‘Heslop Gold medal for her essay’ Induction and Deduction’. Using her grandparent’s inheritance, she travelled extensively in Europe and the Middle East. She had an extraordinary gifts for words and there is a story of her translating extempore from ancient Greek to modern German with ease. She is known primarily as a Poet but was interested in science and philosophy- which she lectured in. Professionally she conquered the traditionally male-dominated spheres of science and philosophy. A rational atheist, she wrote widely on Hylo-Idealism, the philosophical position that reality exists by virtue of our belief in it. She frequently published letters and articles in periodicals about social evolution and her atheist philosophy. She was elected the first female associate of Mason Science College in Birmingham. An advocate of social reform, she supported several causes, including the Central National Women’s Suffrage Society, the Women’s Liberal Association, and the National Indian Association (through which she hoped to address the position of Indian wives). In an obituary in the Mason College magazine the editor wrote that ‘hers was the most powerful intellect, her gifts the most remarkable, and the most highly cultivated of any who have received their education in science within these walls.’ She died from complications arising from infected ovarian cysts on 23rd March 1889 aged 31. In the decade after Naden’s death she became, in some circles, a cautionary tale about the plight of the intellectual woman. Herbert Spencer, one of the most prominent thinkers of the Victorian age wrote an inflammatory letter using her as an example of women becoming a danger to their own health if they chose to pursue a life dedicated to thought and learning: ‘Unquestionably her subtle intelligence would have done much in furtherance of rational thought; her death has entailed a serious loss’……..‘in her case, as in other cases, the mental powers so highly developed in a woman are in some measure abnormal, and involve a physiological cost which the feminine organization will not bear without injury more or less profound’. It was not only Naden’s friends that were outraged. After Spencer’s letter was printed in some newspapers several individuals felt compelled to respond. Harriette Grundy 1883-1903 First Headmistress of King Edwards VI Camp Hill School for Girls The girls’ school was originally on Meriden Street. The curriculum included reading, writing, arithmetic, needlework, drawing and a little history, geography and scripture. In 1881 Camp Hill House was founded on 3 acres of land. Girls could enter the school at 8 and stay until 16. Numbers steadily increased until, 1891, when they decided to pull down Camp Hill House and re-build on the same site. In 1883 the Lower Middle Schools became Grammar Schools, with a much wider curriculum and improved status. This was when King Edward VI Grammar School for Girls, Camp Hill, was born, with Miss Grundy appointed as headmistress. Identity The Perkins Family 1861 Independent Women According to the 1861 census the three daughters of the Perkins family are living independently at George Street, Aston. In 1871, their mother, Harriet (age 69) was already a widow and was living with her three daughters. None of the daughters were married and all had been born in Birmingham. Adelaide 28, is a Dressmaker, Emily 26 is a Professor of Music and Mary Jane 21, is a Schoolteacher. Although living independently their choice of profession was restricted because of their gender. It wasn’t until 1919 that the Sexual Disqualification Removal Act allowed women to enter many professions- though not the church. Gertrude Dale 1857-1921 Educationalist Like her (much more famous) father, she was a supporter of secular education. His interest in educational affairs had led him to accept a seat on the Birmingham school board. He was appointed a governor of Foundation of the Schools of King Edward VI in Birmingham and served on the Royal Commission of Education. One account of her father, Robert William Dale, describes him as resolute, courageous, austere, the champion of the oppressed, the apostle of the municipal gospel, the dispenser of theological strong meat, the most powerful clerical voice uplifted in the cause of liberal ideals. As known to his friends, he was the absolutely loyal comrade, the outspoken, mirthful, fireside intimate, the tenderest of husbands & fathers. He was known for his practical judgement, his skill in the management of affairs, his insistence on the eleventh commandment, "Thou shalt issue a balance sheet." He held his pastorate for more than 40 years. Gertrude surrounded herself with younger friends from the University of Birmingham, some of whom lodged with her. One of these included Francis Brett Young, English novelist, poet, playwright, and composer. He was studying at Birmingham to become a physician and exchanged letters with Gertrude, who he called ‘Miss Dale’. His book ‘Songs of Robert Bridges’ is dedicated to Gertrude Dale. Some accounts describe Dale as a middle-aged spinster, although she is clearly an important individual during this period in Birmingham. Does her gender have any influence on how she is remembered? Sarah Finch 1797-1860 Daughter, wife and mother The only daughter of Joseph Priestly – discoverer of oxygen and member of the Lunar Society - she had a close bond with her father. She remained in England with her husband and 4 children after her parents fled to American following the Priestly riots. By the time of her 6th pregnancy, her iron master husband was bankrupt. Her last child, a daughter named Catherine Irene was a successful schoolmistress, Joseph Priestly would have been proud of her for she followed in his footsteps in education. Because of slow delivery of the mails, Joseph Priestley, by this time in failing health, never learned of Sarah’s death before his own occurred. Priestley bequeathed to her an annuity of sixty pounds sterling, or to her children in case of her death, and stipulated through three named trustees, that Mr. Finch was expressly not entitled to any part of the money, nor could he exercise any control over it. There is nothing to suggest that her marriage was unhappy, but even if it were she would have had very few options as a woman during this era. In the 1923 Matrimonial Act – a woman no longer had to prove desertion, cruelty or other faults in addition to adultery as grounds for divorce. It’s interesting that Sarah’s daughter became a teacher, but she chose the life of a wife and mother. Were there other paths she might have preferred? Harriet Chamberlain 1835 – 1863 Teacher, wife and mother Harriet was the daughter of Birmingham industrialist Archibald Kenrick of Edgbaston. The family were Unitarians and, like Chamberlain, worshipped at the Church of the Messiah on Broad Street. Joseph Chamberlain got to know Harriet through his friendship with her brother, William, who was a fellow member of the Birmingham and Edgbaston Debating Society. The couple married in July 1861 and spent their honeymoon in Penzance. Joseph became a prominent MP, Mayor of Birmingham and there are several buildings and monuments commemorating him. In October 1863 Harriet gave birth in May 1862 to Beatrice and in October 1863 to Joseph Austen Chamberlain (future PM). She died of puerperal fever a few days later. At the time of her marriage, Harriet was committed to the provision of education and taught at an elementary school for working class children. Did Harriet want to give up her teaching once she became a wife? Catherine (Taylor) Osler 1854 – 1924 Suffragist Catherine’s Unitarian parents were members of the Birmingham Women's Suffrage Society from its formation. Catherine was their eldest child and she rose through the ranks of the society as she went from treasurer to secretary. She was also active in Birmingham trying to establish a role for women in local government. In 1919 Catherine was given a Masters degree by Birmingham University for her work in support of the social standing of her gender. She married Alfred Osler who was involved with glass manufacture and who was a member of the Liberals. In 1888 the Women's Liberal Federation had a conference in Birmingham and Osler was asked to preside over it. Four years later the Women's Emancipation Union met in Birmingham and Catherine was invited to chair a session where she shared her ambition to get women involved in local government. Catherine was opposed to the actions of the militant suffragettes and she had written to criticise the actions of the Women's Social and Political Union. However she did not approve of the way the WSPU militants were treated in prison. In 1909 she resigned as President of the Birmingham Women’s Liberal Association citing her objection to the Liberal government's policy of force feeding suffragette prisoners.

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