Margaret Ethel (Gladstone) MacDonald (1870 - 1911)

Born 20 Jul 1870 in Kensington, London, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Wife of James Ramsay MacDonald FRS — married 1896 in Kensington, London, England

Died 8 Sep 1911 at age 41 in London, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

From early adulthood Margaret was involved in voluntary social work.

By 1890 she was a keen socialist, influenced by the Christian Socialists and the Fabian Society.

In 1894 she joined the Women's Industrial Council, serving on several committees and organising the enquiry into home work in London, which was published in 1897. She met Ramsay MacDonald through this work in 1895 and they married in 1896.

After the marriage she was concerned about the need for skilled work and training for women and played a key part in establishing the first trade schools for girls in 1904. She continued this work until 1910.

She was a member of the National Union of Women Workers. She served on the executive of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, although she was opposed to militant action. In 1906 she became involved in the formation of the Women's Labour League, serving as chair until her early death in 1911 due to sepsis

There is a memorial for her on the north side of Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WC2.

The couple had 6 children one of which died early in 1910.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Ethel_MacDonald

• http://www.victorianweb.org/sculpture/goulden/5.html

• Marriage Certificate has the names John Ramsey MacDonald marrying Margaret Ethel Gladstone. Kensington, London 1896 Quarter 4 Vol 1a Page 207