Millicent Fawcett

In 1967, Millicent got married to Henry Fawcett who worked at the Cambridge University as an economics professor and was a radical politician.

The couple had a daughter in Philippa Fawcett, who later worked as a tutor at the Birkbeck Literary and Scientific Institution.

Her husband Henry Fawcett passed away in 1884. After his death, she spent her remaining life working for women suffrage.

She was born on June 11, 1847 in an upper middle class family to Newson Garret and Louise Dunnell in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England.

Her father was a ship-owner and a radical politician and had ten children out of which Millicent was seventh.

At the age of twelve, Millicent along with her sister was enrolled in a private boarding school in Blackheath, London, from where her inclination towards literature and education began.

When she was twelve her sister Elizabeth moved to London to study to qualify as a doctor, and Millicent regularly visited her there. These visits increased her interest in women's rights

At 19 her sister took her to attend a speech session by John Stuart Mill on women’s rights, which left Millicent immensely impressed.

At the age of 19, she became secretary of the London Society for Women's Suffrage and J. S. Mill introduced her to many other women's rights activist.

In 1868, she became a member of London Suffrage Committee and spoke at the first public pro-suffrage meeting to be held in London in 1869. This speech was supported and guided by her husband, Henry Fawcett, a liberal Member of Parliament.

Her exemplary orating skills helped her political, academic and women issues.

The Newnham College in Cambridge was founded by the efforts Millicent Fawcett in 1871.

She was also a co-founder of Newnham Hall, and served on its Council.

Millicent Fawcett was granted an Honorary LLD by St. Andrew’s University in 1905.

She became Dame Millicent Fawcett in 1924 after getting the Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire.

The Fawcett Library, which is known for its collection on feminism and suffrage movement especially that of Great Britain is named after Millicent Garrett Fawcett.

Her memories are preserved in the form of Fawcett Society and Millicent Fawcett Hall, constructed in 1929 in Westminster as a place to discuss women issues. It is now under the drama department of the Westminster School as a 150 seat studio theatre.