Great Britain is renowned for its suffragist movement, which later gained momentum in the United States. Suffragists fought for women’s right to vote. They organised hunger strikes, chained themselves to railings, and held public demonstrations. There were also instances of activists smashing windows and setting fire to buildings. Today, we’ll be looking at one of the movement’s notable figures, Annie Lorrain Smith, who was also a distinguished British lichenologist. Read more about the life and work of Annie Smith on the liverpoolka.com website.
Annie Lorrain Smith’s Childhood
The future women’s rights activist was born in Liverpool in 1854. Her father was the minister of a rural parish church in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, which is where she spent her childhood. The Liverpool native grew up in a large family and, incidentally, her siblings were also talented scientists.
After finishing school, Annie decided to travel abroad to study, becoming fluent in French and German while working as a governess.
The Start of a Career
Smith moved to London and began studying at the Royal College of Science, where her mentor was the botanist D. H. Scott. She later began working at the British Museum, where she was responsible for identifying newly collected fungi sent from across the country and abroad. It’s important to note that she was paid for her work ‘off the books’, as the official employment of women in such roles was forbidden at the time.
In 1904, Smith became one of the first women to be admitted as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London.
Smith developed a keen interest in lichenology and went on to publish the comprehensive Illustrated Handbook of British Lichens.
For her dedicated scientific work, she was awarded a special grant and was later appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).
An Activist in the Suffrage Movement
Alongside her scientific career, Annie Smith campaigned for women’s suffrage. She supported the suffragists in her country, who formed societies and lobbied for the extension of voting rights to women.
Today, women voting in elections and having economic and political independence seems normal to us. But it wasn’t always this way. In 1893, women over 21 in New Zealand won the right to vote, becoming the first in the British Empire to do so. In 1902, Australian women gained the same right. However, Finland was the first country where women could both vote and be elected. Gradually, these rights were extended to women in other countries, including Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Georgia, Poland, Azerbaijan, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
Suffragists challenged the male-dominated establishment for their rights. Women were expected to work and pay taxes, yet the right to vote was reserved for men. To achieve equality, suffragists protested, went on hunger strikes, organised demonstrations, and drafted petitions and bills. These activists feared neither the authorities nor public disapproval in their fight to ensure that today, in almost every modern country, a woman can go to the polls and cast her vote.
It should be noted that Emmeline Pankhurst is considered the founder of the militant women’s suffrage movement in Britain. She delivered lectures in cities across the country, educating women about their rights. Her daughters also supported the suffragist cause, making her the founder of a dynasty within the movement.
And that is the story of Annie Lorrain Smith and the women’s movement in Great Britain. We hope you found this article informative and learned something new about this famous figure from our city.