Agnes Husband

Agnes Husband (20 May 1852 – 30 April 1929) [1] was one of Dundee's first female councillors and was a suffragette.[2] She was awarded Freedom of the City at the age of 74 and has a plaque to her memory in the Dundee City Chambers and a portrait by Alec Grieve is in the McManus Galleries and Museum.[3]

Agnes Husband
Born20 May 1852
Died30 April 1929
Known forsocialism and women's rights

Early life

Agnes Husband was born in Tayport,[2] the daughter of a shipmaster John Husband and Agnes Lamond or Lomand. Agnes and her sister later worked as dressmakers in the Murraygate, Dundee.[4]

Campaigning for socialism and women's suffrage

Agnes Husband became involved in her forties in socialism and the Labour party, standing unsuccessfully for election to the School Board in 1897. But in 1901 she was elected as one of the first two women on the Parochial Board.[2] She attended over 80 meetings in a year serving on four committees.[5] And in 1905 Husband did win a place on the School Board too and promoted providing meals, books, and nursery education to poor children in the city.[1]

Her own education continued in evening classes at Dundee University College and she became President of the Women's Freedom League (WFL) branch which started up in the city,[6] and in 1909 she took a national role in the movement for women's suffrage.[1] Agnes Husband attended and was able to give a first hand report on the demonstration which took place at Westminster but this was not reported in the local press.[7]

Annot Wilkie or Robinson appears to have been influenced by Husband. During Agnes Husband's presidency of Dundee WFL in October 1913 the branch joined with the local Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) to demonstrate against forcible feeding at Dundee Prison.[4]

Agnes Husband Burgess Ticket awarded in 1926

In 1926 at the age of 74, she was the 5th woman to be given the Freedom of the City of Dundee.

Husband's Burgess ticket was on display in the City Archives for the centenary of women's suffrage,[8] and it says it was "in recognition of the valuable services rendered by her to the Community as a Member of the Parish Council and the Education Authority and in many other ways over a long period of years".

She died in 1929.[2]

Agnes Husband's influence and link to the wider suffrage movement was described as [3]


"she worked long and conscientiously on behalf of the poor and for better education. As a member of the suffrage movement, she spoke, wrote and campaigned with gusto. She also supported and encouraged her younger sisters to become involved."


Death and legacy

In her obituary [9] she was described as 'a pioneer in asserting the claims of women and their competence to participate in the administration of public affairs' and as ' a pioneer in more humane treatment of the poor and in education and care of children.'[5]

See also

References
  1. The biographical dictionary of Scottish women : from the earliest times to 2004. Ewan, Elizabeth., Innes, Sue., Reynolds, Sian. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. 2006. p. 175. ISBN 0748626603. OCLC 367680960.CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. "Agnes Husband | Mapping Memorials to Women in Scotland". womenofscotland.org.uk. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  3. "Agnes Husband | Dundee Women's Trail". www.dundeewomenstrail.org.uk. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  4. Elizabeth., Crawford (2006). The women's suffrage movement in Britain and Ireland : a regional survey. London: Routledge. p. 39. ISBN 9780415383325. OCLC 59149398.
  5. Leah., Leneman (2000). The Scottish suffragettes. Edinburgh: NMS Pub. p. 63. ISBN 190166340X. OCLC 46650355.
  6. Black, Sue. "Dundee suffrage movement : 50th anniversary". University of Dundee. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
  7. Sarah, Pedersen (2017-07-13). The Scottish suffragettes and the press. London, United Kingdom. p. 78. ISBN 9781137538338. OCLC 992988822.
  8. "Dundee Women". Dundee City Archives Blog. 2018-02-08. Retrieved 2018-02-26.
  9. "Agnes Husband (1852-1929)". The Courier and Advertiser. 9 June 2016. Retrieved 22 February 2018 – via www.pressreader.com.
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