Remembering Resistance is focused on the last 100 years of women's protest and campaigning. However, to make sure we don't overlook the vital role early female
activists played in helping improving society and the position of women, we will be
featuring some of their stories here.
If you've got a story about a woman you think deserves to be told, get in touch.
activists played in helping improving society and the position of women, we will be
featuring some of their stories here.
If you've got a story about a woman you think deserves to be told, get in touch.
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katherine bruce glasierWritten and researched by Nick Moule and Bob Abel
Katherine Bruce Glasier was one of the most influential activists in the international Labour movement in the early 20th Century. Katherine was a founder member of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), a lifelong campaigner, an impressive speaker, author of many articles, and a close friend of early pioneers of the Labour movement. Keir Hardy considered her the 'mother of the ILP'. In her obituary in the Manchester Guardian in 1950, she was summed up as being ‘a Socialist evangelist [whose] speeches had the emotional force of a revivalist’.
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East Lancashire and the South Pennines has a history of non-conformism/radical thinkers, including female activists in the 19th and 20th centuries. Often connected to the cotton industry, and other traditional industries they campaigned for better living conditions and greater equality. These women included the likes of Ethel Snowden and Selina Cooper, and more recently Barbara Castle MP and Jeanette Winterson. Katherine Glasier was one such person.
Katharine was born in London in 1867 and went on to be one of the earliest women students at Cambridge University. Although Cambridge University refused to award degrees to women, she usually listed BA after her name in defiance of this sexual discrimination. Subsequently, her true political expression was found in the Independent Labour Party. She was on the committee that convened the inaugural conference of the Independent Labour Party (ILP) and was the only woman elected to the ILP National Administrative Council. Despite having the major role in bringing up their children, Katharine still travelled extensively and spoke at meetings around the country, but turned to writing as a way of earning a living. In 1916 Katharine became the editor of the Labour Leader, a publication that she had written for extensively.
Much of her later emphasis revolved around campaigning for the weak and oppressed. She played an important part in campaigning for poor law reform, and in the beginnings of the Nursery School Movement, becoming vice president of the Nursery School Association as well as being active in Save the Children. Katharine also led the campaign to help working class housewives by persuading mine owners to install pit head baths so that grime and coal dust were left at the colliery and not brought to the home.
Katharine was born in London in 1867 and went on to be one of the earliest women students at Cambridge University. Although Cambridge University refused to award degrees to women, she usually listed BA after her name in defiance of this sexual discrimination. Subsequently, her true political expression was found in the Independent Labour Party. She was on the committee that convened the inaugural conference of the Independent Labour Party (ILP) and was the only woman elected to the ILP National Administrative Council. Despite having the major role in bringing up their children, Katharine still travelled extensively and spoke at meetings around the country, but turned to writing as a way of earning a living. In 1916 Katharine became the editor of the Labour Leader, a publication that she had written for extensively.
Much of her later emphasis revolved around campaigning for the weak and oppressed. She played an important part in campaigning for poor law reform, and in the beginnings of the Nursery School Movement, becoming vice president of the Nursery School Association as well as being active in Save the Children. Katharine also led the campaign to help working class housewives by persuading mine owners to install pit head baths so that grime and coal dust were left at the colliery and not brought to the home.
Earby Hostel, Katherine's home for much of her life
She lived from 1922 until her death in 1950 at Glen Cottage, Earby near Colne. Subsequently her home, the two adjacent cottages, and adjoining land were purchased by a memorial fund in her name. It was decided that, because of her involvement in young peoples’ issues, the cottages should be converted into a youth hostel which was handed over to the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) as a perpetual memorial to Katharine and what she stood for. The village and community of Earby are justifiably proud of Glen Cottage, and collectively with Earby Town Council and Pendle Council, have played a vital role in supporting the YHA hostel and are now ensuring its continuing development as an independent hostel in her memory.
Header image: LSE Library - https://www.flickr.com/photos/lselibrary/22785230005. No restrictions. https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=52003951