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Jane Smeal, the daughter of William Smeal, a Quaker tea merchant from Glasgow, was one of the leading figures in female the anti-slavery movement. Jane joined with Elizabeth Pease to help women form their own anti-slavery societies. Jane established the Glasgow Ladies Emancipation Society whereas Elizabeth created the Darlington Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society. By 1837 there were eight of these women's groups.

In March 1838, Jane joined with Elizabeth Pease, to publish a pamphlet, Address to the Women of Great Britain, where they urged women to form female anti-slavery associations to speak at public meetings.

In the 1840s, Jane, along with her close friends, Elizabeth Pease and Anne Knight, were supporters of the Moral Force Chartist movement.

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(1) Elizabeth Pease attempted to persuade working-class women in Darlington to join the campaign against slavery. Her friend, Jane Smeal, from Glasgow, wrote to her about this matter in 1836.

The females in this city who have much leisure for philanthropic objects are I believe very numerous - but unhappily that is not the class who take an active part in the cause here - neither the noble, the rich, nor the learned are to be found advocating our cause. Our subscribers and most efficient members are all in the middling and working classes but they have great zeal and labour very harmoniously together.