Lilian Mary FaithfullCBE (12 March 1865 – 2 May 1952) was an English teacher, headmistress, women's rights advocate, magistrate, social worker, and humanitarian. She was one of the "Steamboat ladies" who were part of the struggle for women to gain university education.[2]
From 1889 until 1894 she was a lecturer at Royal Holloway College and then joined King's College London, where she succeeded Cornelia Schmitz as vice-principal of the Ladies Department for the next 13 years, a position she regarded as the happiest of her career. She was principal of Cheltenham Ladies' College from 1907 until 1922. In 1920, she became Justice of the Peace for Cheltenham, becoming one of the first women magistrates in England. Faithfull started the organisation that is now Lilian Faithfull Homes in Cheltenham, and she spent the last few months of her life in the care of one of the homes, Faithfull House, until her death in 1952.
Lilian Faithfull was born in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, in 1865. Her father, Francis Faithfull, was a clerk at the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors. Her mother, Edith Lloyd, stayed home with eight children while also writing a History of England and magazine articles. Lilian was the second youngest of the six girls and two boys. She lived in an upper-middle class country house in Hertfordshire and was educated at The Grange in Hoddesdon (the only girl at the time), and later at home by her mother and governesses.[3][4]Emily Faithfull, an early women's rights activist, was her cousin.[3] Both of Faithfull's parents were opinionated about issues such as femininity and social class, but were not radicals.[4]
Faithfull entered Somerville College of Oxford University in 1883, just four years after it was established. She was the first captain of the women's hockey team and the college tennis champion, and graduated with a first in English in 1887.[5] She later claimed an ad eundem degree from Trinity College, Dublin in 1905.[3]
Careeredit
Faithfull in her first year at Cheltenham
Between 1887 and 1888, Faithfull taught at Oxford High School, and was secretary to the principal of Somerville, Madeleine Shaw Lefevre.[3] From 1889 until 1894 she was a lecturer at Royal Holloway College and then joined King's College London, where she succeeded Cornelia Schmitz as vice-principal of the Ladies Department for the next 13 years.[4][5][6] It was here that Virginia Woolf met her, and Faithfull described her position as "one of the happiest educational posts for women in England".[3]
In 1890, Faithfull suggested that women who had competed for Oxford or Cambridge in intercollegiate sports should be awarded special badges like their male counterparts. This was implemented in 1891 and marked the start of the Lady Blue.[5] Along with Margaret Gilliland and Sara Burstall, Faithfull believed that the important household topics of cookery, laundry and hygiene should feature as scientific subjects on the school curriculum.[7] She wanted to get rid of the distinction between the professional woman and the women studying "home science".[7]
"In recent years there has been a widespread movement to bring the education of our girls into relation with their work as home-makers. The old 'blue-stocking type', who prided herself on not knowing how to sew or mend, and who thought cooking menial and beneath her, no longer appeals to anyone ... We want our girls to grow up into sensible methodical, practical women, able to direct intelligently and practically the manifold duties of home." – Faithfull discussing her education policies in 1911.[8]
In 1895, Faithfull became the first president of the Ladies' Hockey Association (later the All England Women's Hockey Association), and remained in that role until at least 1907.[5] In 1907, Faithfull became the principal of Cheltenham Ladies' College, succeeding Dorothea Beale. She remained in that position for 15 years. In 1920, she became Justice of the Peace for Cheltenham, becoming one of the first women magistrates in England. Faithfull was active as a social worker, improving social conditions for the poor in London, and was chair of a committee to improve nutrition in children. She founded the Old People's Housing Society in Cheltenham, later renamed the Lilian Faithfull Homes.[6][9] Faithfull was the model for the Helen Butterfield character in The Constant Nymph, a 1924 novel by Margaret Kennedy (a former student of Cheltenham). She was a Fellow of King's College London and received an honorary MA from Oxford in 1925. In 1926 Faithfull was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.[10] She never married.[4]
Faithfull died on 2 May 1952 at Faithfull House, and was buried in Cheltenham.[3][6]
Bibliographyedit
1903: Selections from the Poems of H. W. Longfellow. With an introduction by Lilian M. Faithfull
1908: School hymns for use in the Cheltenham Ladies' College
1923: Some Addresses
1924: In the House of My Pilgrimage (reprinted 1925), her memoirs of her time at Cheltenham Ladies' College
1927: You and I. Saturday talks at Cheltenham
1928: The Pilgrim and Other Poems
1940: The Evening Crowns the Day. Reminiscences.
Referencesedit
^Avery, Gillian (2004). "Faithfull, Lilian Mary (summary)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/48486. ISBN978-0-19-861412-8. Retrieved 11 March 2019. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^Adams, Pauline (1996). Somerville for women: an Oxford college, 1879–1993. Oxford University Press. p. 61. ISBN978-0-19-920179-2.
^ abcdGorham, Deborah (2012). The Victorian Girl and the Feminine Ideal. Routledge. ISBN978-0-415-62326-1.
^ abcdHollingsworth, Kent (2010). The Kentucky Thoroughbred. University Press of Kentucky. p. 44. ISBN978-0-8131-3898-5.
^ abcBatson, Judy G. (2008). Her Oxford. Vanderbilt University Press. pp. 64–65. ISBN978-0-8265-1610-7.
^ abClendinning, Anne (2004). Demons and Domesticity: Women and the English Gas Industry, 1889–1939. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 110. ISBN978-0-7546-0692-5.
^Rayner-Canham, Marelene F.; Rayner-Canham, Geoffrey (23 October 2008). Chemistry Was Their Life: Pioneering British Women Chemists, 1880–1949. Imperial College Press. p. 21. ISBN978-1-86094-987-6.
^"Welcome to Lilian Faithfull Homes". Lilianfaithfull.co.uk. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
^"Supplement" (PDF). London Gazette. 3 July 1926. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
Further readingedit
ODNB entry (subscription required)
October 27, 2023
lilian, faithfull, lilian, mary, faithfull, march, 1865, 1952, english, teacher, headmistress, women, rights, advocate, magistrate, social, worker, humanitarian, steamboat, ladies, were, part, struggle, women, gain, university, education, lilian, mary, faithfu. Lilian Mary Faithfull CBE 12 March 1865 2 May 1952 was an English teacher headmistress women s rights advocate magistrate social worker and humanitarian She was one of the Steamboat ladies who were part of the struggle for women to gain university education 2 Lilian Mary FaithfullBorn 1865 03 12 12 March 1865 1 Hoddesdon UKDied2 May 1952 1952 05 02 aged 87 Cheltenham UKOccupation s University teacher and administratorKnown forAdvocating women s right to university educationFrom 1889 until 1894 she was a lecturer at Royal Holloway College and then joined King s College London where she succeeded Cornelia Schmitz as vice principal of the Ladies Department for the next 13 years a position she regarded as the happiest of her career She was principal of Cheltenham Ladies College from 1907 until 1922 In 1920 she became Justice of the Peace for Cheltenham becoming one of the first women magistrates in England Faithfull started the organisation that is now Lilian Faithfull Homes in Cheltenham and she spent the last few months of her life in the care of one of the homes Faithfull House until her death in 1952 Contents 1 Early life and education 2 Career 3 Bibliography 4 References 5 Further readingEarly life and education editLilian Faithfull was born in Hoddesdon Hertfordshire in 1865 Her father Francis Faithfull was a clerk at the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors Her mother Edith Lloyd stayed home with eight children while also writing a History of England and magazine articles Lilian was the second youngest of the six girls and two boys She lived in an upper middle class country house in Hertfordshire and was educated at The Grange in Hoddesdon the only girl at the time and later at home by her mother and governesses 3 4 Emily Faithfull an early women s rights activist was her cousin 3 Both of Faithfull s parents were opinionated about issues such as femininity and social class but were not radicals 4 Faithfull entered Somerville College of Oxford University in 1883 just four years after it was established She was the first captain of the women s hockey team and the college tennis champion and graduated with a first in English in 1887 5 She later claimed an ad eundem degree from Trinity College Dublin in 1905 3 Career edit nbsp Faithfull in her first year at CheltenhamBetween 1887 and 1888 Faithfull taught at Oxford High School and was secretary to the principal of Somerville Madeleine Shaw Lefevre 3 From 1889 until 1894 she was a lecturer at Royal Holloway College and then joined King s College London where she succeeded Cornelia Schmitz as vice principal of the Ladies Department for the next 13 years 4 5 6 It was here that Virginia Woolf met her and Faithfull described her position as one of the happiest educational posts for women in England 3 In 1890 Faithfull suggested that women who had competed for Oxford or Cambridge in intercollegiate sports should be awarded special badges like their male counterparts This was implemented in 1891 and marked the start of the Lady Blue 5 Along with Margaret Gilliland and Sara Burstall Faithfull believed that the important household topics of cookery laundry and hygiene should feature as scientific subjects on the school curriculum 7 She wanted to get rid of the distinction between the professional woman and the women studying home science 7 In recent years there has been a widespread movement to bring the education of our girls into relation with their work as home makers The old blue stocking type who prided herself on not knowing how to sew or mend and who thought cooking menial and beneath her no longer appeals to anyone We want our girls to grow up into sensible methodical practical women able to direct intelligently and practically the manifold duties of home Faithfull discussing her education policies in 1911 8 In 1895 Faithfull became the first president of the Ladies Hockey Association later the All England Women s Hockey Association and remained in that role until at least 1907 5 In 1907 Faithfull became the principal of Cheltenham Ladies College succeeding Dorothea Beale She remained in that position for 15 years In 1920 she became Justice of the Peace for Cheltenham becoming one of the first women magistrates in England Faithfull was active as a social worker improving social conditions for the poor in London and was chair of a committee to improve nutrition in children She founded the Old People s Housing Society in Cheltenham later renamed the Lilian Faithfull Homes 6 9 Faithfull was the model for the Helen Butterfield character in The Constant Nymph a 1924 novel by Margaret Kennedy a former student of Cheltenham She was a Fellow of King s College London and received an honorary MA from Oxford in 1925 In 1926 Faithfull was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire 10 She never married 4 Faithfull died on 2 May 1952 at Faithfull House and was buried in Cheltenham 3 6 Bibliography edit1903 Selections from the Poems of H W Longfellow With an introduction by Lilian M Faithfull 1908 School hymns for use in the Cheltenham Ladies College 1923 Some Addresses 1924 In the House of My Pilgrimage reprinted 1925 her memoirs of her time at Cheltenham Ladies College 1927 You and I Saturday talks at Cheltenham 1928 The Pilgrim and Other Poems 1940 The Evening Crowns the Day Reminiscences References edit Avery Gillian 2004 Faithfull Lilian Mary summary Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 48486 ISBN 978 0 19 861412 8 Retrieved 11 March 2019 Subscription or UK public library membership required Adams Pauline 1996 Somerville for women an Oxford college 1879 1993 Oxford University Press p 61 ISBN 978 0 19 920179 2 a b c d e f Lilian Faithfull Oxford Dictionary of National Biography subscription required Retrieved 25 May 2013 a b c d Gorham Deborah 2012 The Victorian Girl and the Feminine Ideal Routledge ISBN 978 0 415 62326 1 a b c d Hollingsworth Kent 2010 The Kentucky Thoroughbred University Press of Kentucky p 44 ISBN 978 0 8131 3898 5 a b c Batson Judy G 2008 Her Oxford Vanderbilt University Press pp 64 65 ISBN 978 0 8265 1610 7 a b Clendinning Anne 2004 Demons and Domesticity Women and the English Gas Industry 1889 1939 Ashgate Publishing Ltd p 110 ISBN 978 0 7546 0692 5 Rayner Canham Marelene F Rayner Canham Geoffrey 23 October 2008 Chemistry Was Their Life Pioneering British Women Chemists 1880 1949 Imperial College Press p 21 ISBN 978 1 86094 987 6 Welcome to Lilian Faithfull Homes Lilianfaithfull co uk Retrieved 25 May 2013 Supplement PDF London Gazette 3 July 1926 Retrieved 25 May 2013 Further reading editODNB entry subscription required Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lilian Faithfull amp oldid 1168537306, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
