Frances Power Cobbe (1822 - 1904)

Frances Power Cobbe was an Irish author, social reformer, anti-vivisection activist, and leading women's suffrage campaigner. She was a member of the executive council of the London National Society for Women's Suffrage. She founded a number of animal advocacy groups, including the ^[1] National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) in 1875, and the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV) in 1898 She was the champion of higher education for women.

I have often thought how strange it is that men can at once and the same moment cheerfully consign our sex to lives either of narrowest toil or senseless luxury and vanity, and then sneer at the smallness of our aims, the pettiness of our thoughts, the puerility of our conversation.

Frances Power Cobbe

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Biography

Frances Cobbe was a part of the Suffragette Movement.

Francis Cobbe was related of the prominent Cobbe family, descended from Archbishop Charles Cobbe, Primate of Ireland. She was born in Newbridge House in the family estate in Donabate, Co. Dublin.

In 1838 Francis left school when her mother became ill to take over the housekeeping. Her loss of faith caused considerable distress to her mother, who died in 1847. Francis' father banished her from the house when she confessed some of her religious doubts and she went to live with her brother. After several months she was allowed home to act as housekeeper.

When her father died in 1857 she was left a small legacy. She moved to Bristol to live with sculptor Mary Lloyd, whom she met in Rome in 1861 and remained with her from 1864 until Mary Lloyd died. In letters and published writing, Cobbe referred to Mary Lloyd as husband, wife, and dear friend.

Frances Cobbe moved to London, where she earned her living by writing for newspapers and journals. Because she wrote about women's rights she was brought into contact with leading feminists such as Barbara Bodichon and Lydia Becker. She also became friendly with John Stuart Mill, who encouraged her to write. Cobbe also became a member of the Married Women's Property Committee. In 1867 she joined the London Society for Women's Suffrage.

Francis published several articles on the legal rights of women in ^[2] marriage in 1861. This helped the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1878 which gave a wife the right to a separation with maintenance, and with custody of any child under ten years of age.

Cobbe founded the Society for the^[3]Protection of Animals Liable to Vivisection (SPALV) in 1875, the world's first organisation campaigning against animal experiments, and in 1898 the BUAV.

Cobbe was a member of the executive council of the London National Society for Women's Suffrage and writer of editorial columns for London newspapers on suffrage, property rights for women, and opposition to vivisection.

Frances Cobbe received a legacy in 1884 and she retired to Wales with^[4] Mary Lloyd, As her biographer has pointed out At no time in her life does she seem to have felt any attraction to a man and according to her own account, no man was ever attracted by her. ^[5]In 1891 she inherited a quite considerable sum from of the widow of Richard Vaughan Yates,^[6]a devoted anti-vivisectionist.

In 1894 Frances Power Cobbe, published her autobiography,^[7] The Life of Francis Power Cobbe by herself.

Francis Cobbe died at Hengwrt on 5 April 1904 aged about 81 years.^[8][9][10]

She was buried in Llanelltyd churchyard, alongside Mary Lloyd who had died in 1896.^{[11] [12]}

Please see this page on Irish Suffragettes for more information.