Mary Richardson

Mary Richardson
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Name	Mary Richardson
Birth date	1889
Birth place	Belleville, Ontario
Death date	1961
Death place	St. Joseph's Hospital, London, Ontario
Occupation	Suffragette, Artist, Activist

Mary Richardson was a prominent Canadian suffragette and artist who gained notoriety for her radical actions in support of women's suffrage in the United Kingdom. Born in Belleville, Ontario, she moved to England in her early twenties, where she became involved with the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters, Christabel Pankhurst and Sylvia Pankhurst. Richardson's activism was influenced by the likes of Millicent Fawcett and the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), as well as the more militant Women's Freedom League (WFL), founded by Charlotte Despard and Teresa Billington-Greig.

● Early Life

Mary Richardson was born in 1889 in Belleville, Ontario, to a family of Methodists. Her early life was marked by a strong sense of social justice, instilled in her by her parents, who were involved in the temperance movement and supported the women's suffrage movement in Canada. Richardson's interest in art and design led her to study at the Ontario College of Art & Design in Toronto, where she was exposed to the works of Canadian artists such as Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven. She later moved to England to pursue a career in art, settling in London and becoming acquainted with the city's vibrant art scene, which included artists like Walter Sickert and Wyndham Lewis.

● Activism and Suffrage

Richardson's involvement with the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) began in 1910, when she attended a meeting addressed by Emmeline Pankhurst and Christabel Pankhurst at the Royal Albert Hall in London. She quickly became a dedicated member of the organization, participating in protests and demonstrations alongside other notable suffragettes, including Annie Kenney, Mary Leigh, and Helen Crawfurd. Richardson's activism was marked by her willingness to engage in civil disobedience, including hunger strikes and property damage, which led to her arrest and imprisonment on multiple occasions, often in Holloway Prison alongside other suffragette prisoners. Her actions were influenced by the suffragette movement in the United States, particularly the work of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, as well as the women's suffrage movement in Australia, led by Vida Goldstein and the Women's Political Association.

● Artistic Career

In addition to her activism, Richardson pursued a career in art, studying at the Slade School of Fine Art in London and exhibiting her work at the Royal Academy of Arts and the New English Art Club. Her artistic style was influenced by the Impressionist movement, as well as the Vorticist movement, led by Wyndham Lewis and Gaudier-Brzeska. Richardson's artwork often featured women's suffrage themes, reflecting her commitment to the suffragette cause and her association with other artist-activists, such as Sylvia Pankhurst and Nancy Nicholson. Her artistic career was also influenced by her interest in design and craftsmanship, which led her to study at the Central School of Arts and Crafts in London and to become involved with the Arts and Crafts movement, founded by William Morris and John Ruskin.

● Personal Life and Later Years

After the Representation of the People Act 1918 granted women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, Richardson continued to be involved in feminist activism, although at a reduced level. She maintained her connections with the suffragette movement, attending events and reunions, including the Suffragette Fellowship meetings, and remaining in touch with fellow suffragettes, such as Dora Marsden and Rebecca West. Richardson's later years were marked by a focus on her artistic career, as well as her personal life, which included a long-term relationship with Ethel Bentham, a doctor and feminist activist. She passed away in 1961 at St. Joseph's Hospital, London, Ontario, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering suffragette and artist, whose work continues to inspire feminist activists and artists today, including those involved in the Women's Liberation Movement and the Guerrilla Girls collective. Category:Canadian suffragists