Born into a well-to-do family in Edinburgh, Sarah was the daughter of Major Arthur Mair of the 62nd Regiment and Elizabeth Harriot Mair (née Siddons). She was the granddaughter of actor Henry Siddons and great-granddaughter of actress Sarah Siddons.[1] The family lived at 29 Abercromby Place in Edinburgh's Second New Town.[2]
When Mair was 19, she started the Edinburgh Essay Society, soon renamed the Ladies' Edinburgh Debating Society.[3] She became its president and remained so for 70 years. The society met in the spacious Mair family home in the New Town and offered Edinburgh women of a certain background the chance to discuss social questions, while learning public speaking and debating skills. They published The Attempt, renamed the Ladies' Edinburgh Magazine in 1876, which linked them with readers across the country. It was edited by Mair and Helen Campbell Reid.[4]Charlotte Mary Yonge contributed and Mair reviewed in it Josephine Butler's essay collection Women's Work and Women's Culture.
The society debated at intervals the question of women's suffrage,[4] with Mair a lifelong supporter of it. In 1866 and 1872, she found that she and her fellow-suffragists were in the minority, but from 1884 onwards motions in favour of women's suffrage were carried by rising majorities. Mair belonged to the Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage, which had been founded in 1867 as the first Scottish society to campaign for votes for women, and sent speakers to events all over Scotland, including Dr Elsie Inglis, its honorary secretary from 1906. Mair later became its president,[3] and then president of the Scottish Federation of Women's Suffrage Societies. She often managed to mediate between groups with different approaches to campaigning for the vote. Once women over 30 were enfranchised in 1918, she led the Suffrage Society into a new phase as the Society for Equal Citizenship.
Sarah Mair was an important member of the Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association in 1867,[4] present at the founding meeting, but not considered a founder member, presumably because she was unmarried and rather young. She and Mary Crudelius were willing to take one step at a time towards their goal of equal access to university education for both sexes, with Mair believing a practical approach would bring the right results. However, they ultimately wanted more than a separate system for women, however good the teaching.
In 1876 came an effort to improve women's pre-university education. Classes were offered in St George's Hall to help them gain university entrance, with correspondence courses for those unable to attend.[5] In 1886 she was involved with Mary Russell Walker and others in setting up St George's Training College, followed by St. George's High School for Girls in 1888.[6] The training college was the first Scottish institution to train women to teach in secondary schools and the high school the first Scottish day school for girls that taught them up to university entrance level. Girls from St George's were among the first female graduates of Edinburgh University. Mary Russell Walker returned from London in 1885, qualified to lead the college and later the school.[6]
Mair's work for women's education led to an honorary LLD from Edinburgh University in 1920[7] and a DBE in 1931.[1]
Remembrance
Mair's death at her niece's home in Buckinghamshire was followed by a funeral service in St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh. An obituary in The Scotsman called her a "woman pioneer" and a "venerable and notable Edinburgh lady, one who has helped make history in her time." She is remembered also on her paternal family's memorial in St. Cuthbert's Churchyard, Edinburgh, and as her family's nurse, which is noted on the stone.[8] The grave lies on the north wall of the north section, backing onto the adjacent churchyard at St Johns.
^ abInnes, S (2004). "the Edinburgh Women Citizens' Association". Women's History Review. 13 (4): 621–647. doi:10.1080/09612020400200414. S2CID 205658350.
^ abcdEwan, Elizabeth L.; Innes, Sue; Reynolds, Sian; Pipes, Rose (8 March 2006). The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women. Edinburgh University Press. ISBN9780748626601.
^"Mair, Dame Sarah Elizabeth Siddons (1846–1941), promoter of women's education and campaigner for women's rights". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/48668. Retrieved 8 April 2020. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^ ab"Walker, Mary Russell (1846–1938), headmistress and promoter of women's education". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/48670. Retrieved 8 April 2020. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^Kipling, Rudyard (1990). The Letters of Rudyard Kipling: 1920-30. University of Iowa Press. p. [1]. ISBN9780877458982. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
^"The women's suffrage movement: A reference guide 1866–1928 / Elizabeth Crawford. – British Library".
March 03, 2023
sarah, mair, dame, sarah, elizabeth, siddons, mair, september, 1846, february, 1941, scottish, campaigner, women, education, women, suffrage, active, edinburgh, association, university, education, women, ladies, edinburgh, debating, society, which, founded, be. Dame Sarah Elizabeth Siddons Mair DBE 23 September 1846 13 February 1941 was a Scottish campaigner for women s education and women s suffrage She was active in the Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women and the Ladies Edinburgh Debating Society which she founded before she was 20 1 DameSarah MairDBESarah Mair c 1876Born 1846 09 23 23 September 1846Edinburgh ScotlandDied13 February 1941 1941 02 13 aged 94 Buckinghamshire EnglandKnown forpresident of the Ladies Edinburgh Debating SocietyAbercromby Place Edinburgh The grave of Sarah Siddons Mair St Cuthbert s Churchyard Edinburgh Contents 1 Life 2 Awards 3 Remembrance 4 See also 5 References 6 Sources 7 External linksLife EditBorn into a well to do family in Edinburgh Sarah was the daughter of Major Arthur Mair of the 62nd Regiment and Elizabeth Harriot Mair nee Siddons She was the granddaughter of actor Henry Siddons and great granddaughter of actress Sarah Siddons 1 The family lived at 29 Abercromby Place in Edinburgh s Second New Town 2 When Mair was 19 she started the Edinburgh Essay Society soon renamed the Ladies Edinburgh Debating Society 3 She became its president and remained so for 70 years The society met in the spacious Mair family home in the New Town and offered Edinburgh women of a certain background the chance to discuss social questions while learning public speaking and debating skills They published The Attempt renamed the Ladies Edinburgh Magazine in 1876 which linked them with readers across the country It was edited by Mair and Helen Campbell Reid 4 Charlotte Mary Yonge contributed and Mair reviewed in it Josephine Butler s essay collection Women s Work and Women s Culture The society and its headquarters in the Mair dining room were the focus of much effort to promote women s rights and education spearheaded by women from usually prosperous professional families Louisa and Flora Stevenson were early members as were Louisa Lumsden founder of St Leonards School in St Andrews and Charlotte Carmichael mother of Marie Stopes The society debated at intervals the question of women s suffrage 4 with Mair a lifelong supporter of it In 1866 and 1872 she found that she and her fellow suffragists were in the minority but from 1884 onwards motions in favour of women s suffrage were carried by rising majorities Mair belonged to the Edinburgh National Society for Women s Suffrage which had been founded in 1867 as the first Scottish society to campaign for votes for women and sent speakers to events all over Scotland including Dr Elsie Inglis its honorary secretary from 1906 Mair later became its president 3 and then president of the Scottish Federation of Women s Suffrage Societies She often managed to mediate between groups with different approaches to campaigning for the vote Once women over 30 were enfranchised in 1918 she led the Suffrage Society into a new phase as the Society for Equal Citizenship Sarah Mair was an important member of the Edinburgh Ladies Educational Association in 1867 4 present at the founding meeting but not considered a founder member presumably because she was unmarried and rather young She and Mary Crudelius were willing to take one step at a time towards their goal of equal access to university education for both sexes with Mair believing a practical approach would bring the right results However they ultimately wanted more than a separate system for women however good the teaching In 1876 came an effort to improve women s pre university education Classes were offered in St George s Hall to help them gain university entrance with correspondence courses for those unable to attend 5 In 1886 she was involved with Mary Russell Walker and others in setting up St George s Training College followed by St George s High School for Girls in 1888 6 The training college was the first Scottish institution to train women to teach in secondary schools and the high school the first Scottish day school for girls that taught them up to university entrance level Girls from St George s were among the first female graduates of Edinburgh University Mary Russell Walker returned from London in 1885 qualified to lead the college and later the school 6 During the First World War Mair s association with Elsie Inglis begun as fellow suffragists continued as she was president of the Hospitals Committee of the Scottish Women s Hospitals for Foreign Service whose funding was raised from contacts in Edinburgh and beyond Mair also acted as treasurer of the Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women s Masson Hall project and chaired committees of the Bruntsfield Hospital for Women and Children and the Elsie Inglis Memorial Maternity Hospital 4 She also found time to prove a woman could have skill in both archery and chess and belonged to the Ladies Chess Club Awards EditMair s work for women s education led to an honorary LLD from Edinburgh University in 1920 7 and a DBE in 1931 1 Remembrance EditMair s death at her niece s home in Buckinghamshire was followed by a funeral service in St Mary s Cathedral Edinburgh An obituary in The Scotsman called her a woman pioneer and a venerable and notable Edinburgh lady one who has helped make history in her time She is remembered also on her paternal family s memorial in St Cuthbert s Churchyard Edinburgh and as her family s nurse which is noted on the stone 8 The grave lies on the north wall of the north section backing onto the adjacent churchyard at St Johns See also EditList of suffragists and suffragettesReferences Edit a b c Dame Sarah Mair The Times 24 February 1941 p 7 Edinburgh Post Office directory 1846 a b Innes S 2004 the Edinburgh Women Citizens Association Women s History Review 13 4 621 647 doi 10 1080 09612020400200414 S2CID 205658350 a b c d Ewan Elizabeth L Innes Sue Reynolds Sian Pipes Rose 8 March 2006 The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women Edinburgh University Press ISBN 9780748626601 Mair Dame Sarah Elizabeth Siddons 1846 1941 promoter of women s education and campaigner for women s rights Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press 2004 doi 10 1093 ref odnb 48668 Retrieved 8 April 2020 Subscription or UK public library membership required a b Walker Mary Russell 1846 1938 headmistress and promoter of women s education Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press 2004 doi 10 1093 ref odnb 48670 Retrieved 8 April 2020 Subscription or UK public library membership required Kipling Rudyard 1990 The Letters of Rudyard Kipling 1920 30 University of Iowa Press p 1 ISBN 9780877458982 Retrieved 7 July 2017 Sarah Dame Elizabeth Siddons Mair Find a Grave a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Sources EditElizabeth Crawford The Women s Suffrage Movement A Reference Guide 1866 1928 Routledge 1999 ISBN 184142031X 1 External links EditSarah Mair at Find a Grave St George s Training College The women s suffrage movement A reference guide 1866 1928 Elizabeth Crawford British Library Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sarah Mair amp oldid 1136249664, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
