Margaret Mackworth, 2nd Viscountess Rhondda
Encyclopedia
Margaret Haig Mackworth, 2nd Viscountess Rhondda (June 12, 1883 – July 20, 1958) was a Welsh
peeress
and active suffragette
.
In 1908 she joined the Women's Social and Political Union
(WSPU), and became secretary of the WSPU's Newport branch. a supporter of the WSPU's militant campaign, she was imprisoned for attempting to destroy a post-box with a chemical bomb, but was released following a hunger strike
. In 1908 she married Sir Humphrey Mackworth, Bt (see Mackworth Baronets
).
On the outbreak of the First World War, she accepted the decision by the WSPU leadership to abandon its militant campaign for suffrage
. She worked with her father, who was sent by David Lloyd George
to the United States to arrange the supply of munitions for the British armed forces. In May 1915, she was returning from the United States on the RMS Lusitania
when it was torpedoed by a German submarine. She was one of the lucky survivors.
After her father's death, Lady Rhondda tried to take his seat in the House of Lords
, citing the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919
which allowed women to exercise "any public office". The Committee of Privileges, after an initially warm reaction, eventually voted strongly against Lady Mackworth's plea. She was supported for many years by Lord Astor
, whose wife Nancy
had been the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons
, but Lady Rhondda never entered the Lords. Less than a month after her death in 1958, women entered the Lords for the first time thanks to the Life Peerages Act 1958
; five years later, with the passage of the Peerage Reform Act 1963, hereditary peeresses were also allowed to enter the Lords.
In 1920 she founded Time and Tide magazine
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
peeress
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
and active suffragette
Suffragette
"Suffragette" is a term coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for members of the late 19th and early 20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union...
.
In 1908 she joined the Women's Social and Political Union
Women's Social and Political Union
The Women's Social and Political Union was the leading militant organisation campaigning for Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom...
(WSPU), and became secretary of the WSPU's Newport branch. a supporter of the WSPU's militant campaign, she was imprisoned for attempting to destroy a post-box with a chemical bomb, but was released following a hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
. In 1908 she married Sir Humphrey Mackworth, Bt (see Mackworth Baronets
Mackworth Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Mackworth, one in the Baronetage of England and one in the Baronetage of Great Britain. One creation is extant as of 2008....
).
On the outbreak of the First World War, she accepted the decision by the WSPU leadership to abandon its militant campaign for suffrage
Suffrage
Suffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
. She worked with her father, who was sent by David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
to the United States to arrange the supply of munitions for the British armed forces. In May 1915, she was returning from the United States on the RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania
RMS Lusitania was a British ocean liner designed by Leonard Peskett and built by John Brown and Company of Clydebank, Scotland. The ship entered passenger service with the Cunard Line on 26 August 1907 and continued on the line's heavily-traveled passenger service between Liverpool, England and New...
when it was torpedoed by a German submarine. She was one of the lucky survivors.
After her father's death, Lady Rhondda tried to take his seat in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, citing the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919
Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act 1919
The Sex Disqualification Act 1919 is an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. It became law when it received Royal Assent on 23 December 1919.-Provisions of the Act:...
which allowed women to exercise "any public office". The Committee of Privileges, after an initially warm reaction, eventually voted strongly against Lady Mackworth's plea. She was supported for many years by Lord Astor
Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor
Waldorf Astor, 2nd Viscount Astor was an American-born British politician and newspaper proprietor.-Early life:...
, whose wife Nancy
Nancy Astor, Viscountess Astor
Nancy Witcher Astor, Viscountess Astor, CH, was the first woman to sit as a Member of Parliament in the British House of Commons.Constance Markievicz was the first woman elected to the House of Commons in December 1918 after running for the Sinn Féin party in 1918 General Election, but in line...
had been the first woman to take her seat in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
, but Lady Rhondda never entered the Lords. Less than a month after her death in 1958, women entered the Lords for the first time thanks to the Life Peerages Act 1958
Life Peerages Act 1958
The Life Peerages Act 1958 established the modern standards for the creation of life peers by the monarch of the United Kingdom. Life peers are barons and are members of the House of Lords for life, but their titles and membership in the Lords are not inherited by their children. Judicial life...
; five years later, with the passage of the Peerage Reform Act 1963, hereditary peeresses were also allowed to enter the Lords.
In 1920 she founded Time and Tide magazine
Time and Tide (magazine)
Time and Tide was a British weekly political and literary review magazine founded by Margaret, Lady Rhondda in 1920. It started out as a supporter of left wing and feminist causes and the mouthpiece of the feminist Six Point Group. It later moved to the right along with the views of its owner...
.
See also
- History of feminismHistory of feminismThe history of feminism involves the story of feminist movements and of feminist thinkers. Depending on time, culture and country, feminists around the world have sometimes had different causes and goals...
- List of suffragists and suffragettes
- SuffragetteSuffragette"Suffragette" is a term coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for members of the late 19th and early 20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union...
- Women's Social and Political UnionWomen's Social and Political UnionThe Women's Social and Political Union was the leading militant organisation campaigning for Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom...
- Women's suffrageWomen's suffrageWomen's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
- Women's suffrage in the United KingdomWomen's suffrage in the United KingdomWomen's suffrage in the United Kingdom as a national movement began in 1872. Women were not prohibited from voting in the United Kingdom until the 1832 Reform Act and the 1835 Municipal Corporations Act...