Margaret Houldsworth
Encyclopedia
Margaret Marshall Houldsworth (1839–1909) was a British campaigner for women's education and a philanthropist.
Her family were cotton manufacturers in Manchester
who also had business interests, including mining and iron interests, in Glasgow
and Lanarkshire
. The family moved to Scotland where her parents died in the later 1860s and Houldsworth went to live with her brother near Lasswade
for some time before settling in Edinburgh
.
In 1871 she joined the Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association which promoted university level education for women. Margaret Houldsworth became vice-president after Mary Crudelius
died in 1877 and was still with the association, now called the Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women
, in 1892 when women were at last admitted to the Scottish universities. She also played an active role in setting up the Masson Hall residence for female students at Edinburgh University.
From 1872 she belonged to the Edinburgh Ladies' Debating Society led by Sarah Mair
and, alongside Mair, was a central figure in starting classes and correspondence courses for women, and then in establishing St George's Training College and St George's School for Girls
. The causes she supported benefited financially from her family's business success. As well as contributing to educational projects, Houldsworth supported the Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage, and Sophia Jex-Blake
's Hospital and Dispensary for Women and Children, a forerunner of Bruntsfield Hospital
.
Margaret Houldsworth died at home in Edinburgh, and was buried in Cambusnethan
, near her parents' last home at Coltness
.
Her family were cotton manufacturers in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
who also had business interests, including mining and iron interests, in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
and Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire
Lanarkshire or the County of Lanark ) is a Lieutenancy area, registration county and former local government county in the central Lowlands of Scotland...
. The family moved to Scotland where her parents died in the later 1860s and Houldsworth went to live with her brother near Lasswade
Lasswade
Lasswade is a civil parish and village in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River North Esk, nine miles south of Edinburgh city centre, between Dalkeith and Loanhead...
for some time before settling in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
In 1871 she joined the Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association which promoted university level education for women. Margaret Houldsworth became vice-president after Mary Crudelius
Mary Crudelius
Mary Crudelius was a British campaigner for women's education who lived in Leith, Edinburgh in the 1860s and 1870s, and was a supporter of women's suffrage....
died in 1877 and was still with the association, now called the Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women
Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women
The Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women , originally known as the Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association , campaigned for higher education for women from 1867 until 1892 when Scottish universities started to admit female students...
, in 1892 when women were at last admitted to the Scottish universities. She also played an active role in setting up the Masson Hall residence for female students at Edinburgh University.
From 1872 she belonged to the Edinburgh Ladies' Debating Society led by Sarah Mair
Sarah Mair
Dame Sarah Elizabeth Siddons Mair, DBE was a Scottish campaigner for women's education and women's suffrage, active in the Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women and the Ladies' Edinburgh Debating Society, which she founded before she was 20.-Life:Born into a well-to-do family...
and, alongside Mair, was a central figure in starting classes and correspondence courses for women, and then in establishing St George's Training College and St George's School for Girls
St. George's School, Edinburgh
St. George's School is an all-girls independent school situated in Ravelston, Edinburgh, Scotland.The curriculum is based on the Scottish education system but also uses aspects of the English education system, for example A-Levels are available in sixth form....
. The causes she supported benefited financially from her family's business success. As well as contributing to educational projects, Houldsworth supported the Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage, and Sophia Jex-Blake
Sophia Jex-Blake
Sophia Louisa Jex-Blake was an English physician, teacher and feminist. She was one of the first female doctors in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, a leading campaigner for medical education for women and was involved in founding two medical schools for women, in London and in...
's Hospital and Dispensary for Women and Children, a forerunner of Bruntsfield Hospital
Bruntsfield Hospital
Bruntsfield Hospital was an Edinburgh hospital which started in 1878 as a women's dispensary opened by the city's first female doctor, Sophia Jex-Blake. It soon added some beds for in-patients, and moved from a busy, central area to the more peaceful Bruntsfield before the turn of the century...
.
Margaret Houldsworth died at home in Edinburgh, and was buried in Cambusnethan
Cambusnethan
Cambusnethan is a large suburb on the eastern edge of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire in Scotland. It is approximately 1.5 miles long, straddling both sides of the A722 on a hill overlooking Wishaw.-Transport:...
, near her parents' last home at Coltness
Coltness
Coltness is the largest suburb of the town of Wishaw, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. The 2001 census indicated a population of almost 4,500.Lying to the north east of the town centre, Coltness is an area of mainly local authority built housing, divided into the two distinct areas of East and West...
.