Florence Elizabeth Mary MacAulay | |
|---|---|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1862 |
| Died | 1945 (aged 82–83) |
| Alma mater | Somerville College, Oxford |
| Known for | The Women's Marseillaise |
Florence Elizabeth Mary MacAulay (1862-1945) was a British suffragist and part of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). In 1909, she wrote the lyrics to The Women's Marseillaise, which was a popular marching song for the WSPU.[1]
Early life
MacAuley was born in Reading, England. Her father worked as a bookseller.[2] MacAuley received higher education in Somerville College (at the time Somerville Hall) at the University of Oxford.[2] She dropped out of Oxford after two terms, owing to the death of her father.[2][3] She returned to Oxford in 1886 but did not complete her degree.[2][3] MacAuley worked as a teacher for 20 years, including six years at Great Yarmouth High School. She never married.[1][4]
Suffragist movement
MacAuley joined the WSPU by 1907,[3] engaging herself as an organiser and planning activities in multiple locations across England. This entailed living a nomadic lifestyle for a few years. She was the WSPU organiser for Canterbury and South Kent from 1910-1912. During this time she lived in "Trevarra", a boarding house used by WSPU organisers and escaped "mice". In 1913 MacAuley was arrested alongside Annie Kenney in London.[1][4]
References
- 1 2 3 "Florence E. M. Macaulay · Mapping Women's Suffrage". map.mappingwomenssuffrage.org.uk.
- 1 2 3 4 Crawford, Elizabeth (2 September 2003). The Women's Suffrage Movement: A Reference Guide 1866-1928. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-43401-4.
- 1 2 3 Cowman, Krista (15 July 2007). Women of the Right Spirit: Paid Organisers of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), 1904-18. Manchester University Press. ISBN 978-0-7190-7002-0.
- 1 2 "Miss Florence Elizabeth Mary MacAulay / Database - Women's Suffrage Resources". www.suffrageresources.org.uk.