Source Database
Section 14: School Boards
(14.1) The 1870 Education Act enabled women for the first time to vote and to stand for election to local School Boards. In 1870 four women stood as candidates. Flora Stevenson in Edinburgh, Lydia Becker in Manchester, Emily Davies in Greenwich and Elizabeth Garrett in Marylebone. Elizabeth Garrett wrote a letter on 24th October 1870, explaining how she became a candidate.
This morning I had a deputation from the Working Men’s Association…. I dare say when it has to be done I can do it, and it is no use asking for women to be taken into public work and yet to wish them to avoid publicity. Still I am very sorry it is necessary, especially as I can’t think of anything to say for four speeches. The first of these trials is to be next week. It is a tough and toilsome business.
(14.2) Louise Garrett Anderson described her mother’s problems in the 1870 election in her book Elizabeth Garrett Anderson.
At this date women seldom appeared on public platforms and speeches were considered the province of men. It was usual to ask ‘a gentleman’ to read a woman’s speech. But a popular election demanded more than this from a candidate, and Elizabeth found herself addressing audiences constantly in halls and out of doors. Sometimes she was heckled but she was courageous and honest and her answers won support. She was not an orator and her voice was unsuited to large halls but she became a reliable and ready speaker.
(14.3) Elizabeth Garrett wrote to James Anderson (later to become her husband) who had helped her top the poll in the School Board Elections with 47,848 votes.
I am very glad and happy, both for the victory itself and also for it having been given to me to have a share in it. I am sure it will do the women’s cause great good. I wish very much that I could find some adequate way of thanking you and all my other zealous friends.
(14.4) In her book Women’s Suffrage published in 1911, Millicent Garrett Fawcett described the School Board elections in 1870.
In the first School Board election, which took place in London in November 1870 Miss Elizabeth Garrett and Miss Emily Davies were returned as members. Miss Garrett was at the head of the poll in her constituency – Marylebone. She polled more than 47,000 votes, the largest number, it was said at the time, which had ever been bestowed upon any candidate in any election in England. In Manchester Miss Becker was elected a member of the first School Board, and was continuously re-elected for twenty years until her death in 1890. In Edinburgh Miss Flora Stevenson was elected to the first School Board, and was continuously re-elected for thirty-three years until her death in 1905.
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