Mabel Henrietta (Capper) Chisholm (1888 - 1966)

Born 23 Jun 1888 in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Wife of Thomas Cecil Chisholm — married 1921 (to 24 Nov 1961) in Hampstead, London, England

Died 1 Sep 1966 at age 78 in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom

Biography

Mabel (Capper) Chisholm is Notable.

Mabel (Capper) Chisholm was a part of the Suffragette Movement.

Genealogically Defined

Mabel Henrietta Capper was a militant English suffragette. As a member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) she was an activist for women's suffrage between 1907 and 1913; when she was imprisoned six times, went on hunger strike and was one of the first suffragettes to be force-fed.^[1]

Born in 1888 in Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, Mabel came from a family of suffragists.^[2][3][4][5] Her mother, Elizabeth Jane Crews was also a member of the WSPU, while her father, William Bently Capper and her younger brother, another William Bently Capper, were involved in the Men's League for Women's Suffrage.^[6]

In 1907 Mabel joined the WSPU and was an Organiser for the Manchester branch.^[6] Over the next six years she took part in several disruptive and violent demonstrations, including the following incidents resulting in prison time:

Suffragette Hunger Strike Medal

• October 1908 - Rush on the House of Commons; one month in Holloway Prison for refusing to pay the fine.^[7]
• July 1909 - Obstructing police at Limehouse; 21 day sentence.^[8] Mabel went on a hunger strike and was released after six days.^[9]
• August 1909 - Assaulted police and smashed windows at Birmingham; remanded in Winson Green Prison.^[10] Mabel went on a hunger strike in September and was force-fed, for which she was awarded the WSPU's Hunger Strike Medal 'for Valour'.^[1]
• September 1909 - Returned to Winson Green Prison for refusing to pay a fine imposed for the incident in August.^[11]
• November 1911 - Imprisoned for one month for smashing windows of the Bath Post Office and defaulting on the fine.^[12]
• July 1912 - Together with Mary Leigh, Lizzie Baker and Gladys Evans, Mabel was charged with conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm and wilful and malicious damage and to cause an explosion likely to endanger life and to set fire to the Theatre Royal, Dublin.^[13] She was remanded in Central Bridewell prison during the trial but the charges against her were eventually withdrawn.^[14]

Illustration of forcible feeding in Winson Green prison from Mabel Capper's scrapbook

During the Great War Mabel joined the Volunteer Aid Detachment. Later she became involved with pacifist and socialist movements.^[14][15]

From 1919 to 1922 Mabel worked as a journalist for the Daily Herald.^[15] In 1921 she married fellow journalist Cecil Chisholm.^[16] They had no children.^[17]

Mabel died in 1966 in St Leonards-on-Sea, in Sussex.^[18][19]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Wikipedia contributors, "Mabel Capper," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mabel_Capper&oldid=1036554265 (accessed September 2, 2021).
2. ↑ England & Wales General Register Office, GRO Online Index - Birth (https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/ : accessed 30 August 2021) database entry for Capper, Mabel Henrietta (Mother's maiden name: Crews) GRO Reference: 1888 Q3 in Chorlton, Volume 08C, Page 784.
3. ↑ "Manchester, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1915". Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2960 #631148 (accessed 4 March 2022). Mabel Henrietta Copper baptism on 5 Aug 1888 (born 23 Jun 1888), child of William Bently & Elizabeth Jane, in Chorlton upon Medlock, All Saints, Lancashire, England.
4. ↑ Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1891. (Ancestry.com, 1891 England Census : accessed 4 March 2022) The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1891; Class: RG12; Piece: 3182; Folio: 70; Page: 2; GSU roll: 6098292. Name: Mabel H Capper, Age: 2, Birthplace: Manchester, Lancashire, England, Civil Parish: Chorlton on Medlock, Residence: Manchester, Chorlton on Medlock, Lancashire, England, Registration District: Chorlton. Ancestry Record 6598 #21887154 Ancestry Sharing Link
   

   21 Oxford Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Lancashire, England
   William B. Capper, head, mar, 38y, Dry salter, Born: Manchester, Lancashire
   Elizabeth J. Capper, wife, mar, 28y, Born: Manchester, Lancashire
   Mabel H. Capper, daughter, 2y, Born: Manchester, Lancashire
   William B. Capper, son, 11m, Born: Manchester, Lancashire
   Frances J. Crews, sister-in-law, unm, 20y, Milliner, Born: Manchester, Lancashire
   Elizabeth Rogers, servant, widow, 38y, General servant, Born: Manchester, Lancashire
   Mary Rogers, servant's daughter, unm, 12y, Scholar, Born: Salford, Lancashire

5. ↑ Census Returns of England and Wales, 1901. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1901. (Ancestry.com, 1901 England Census : accessed 4 March 2022) Class: RG13; Piece: 3693; Folio: 99; Page: 21. Name: Mabel H Capper, Age: 12, Birthplace: Manchester, Lancashire, England, Civil Parish: South Manchester, Residence: , Registration District: Chorlton. Ancestry Record 7814 #23136580 Ancestry Sharing Link
   

   21 Oxford Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Lancashire, England
   William B. Capper, head, mar, 48y, Theatrical dry stores, oil & color merchant, Born: Manchester, Lancashire
   Elizabeth J. Capper, wife, mar, 38y, Born: Manchester, Lancashire
   Mabel H. Capper, daughter, unm, 12y, Born: Manchester, Lancashire
   William B. Capper, son, unm, 10y, Born: Manchester, Lancashire

6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} Atkinson, Diane. Rise Up Women!: The Remarkable Lives of the Suffragettes. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018, page 129.
7. ↑ Nottingham Evening Post, 14 Oct 1908, page 5, column 6, Siege of Westminster. (British Newspaper Archive, https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ : accessed 4 Mar 2022)
8. ↑ Sheffield Evening Telegraph, 31 Jul 1909, page 6, column 1, Hollowayettes. (British Newspaper Archive, https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ : accessed 4 Mar 2022)
9. ↑ Lancashire Evening Post, 6 Aug 1909, page 5, column 2, More Suffragists Released. (British Newspaper Archive, https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ : accessed 4 Mar 2022)
10. ↑ Gloucestershire Echo, 18 Sep 1909, page 4, column 1, Mr Asquith's Meeting. (British Newspaper Archive, https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ : accessed 4 Mar 2022)
11. ↑ Globe, 22 Sep 1909, page 4, column 5, Mr Asquith At Birmingham. (British Newspaper Archive, https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ : accessed 4 Mar 2022)
12. ↑ Yorkshire Evening Post, 25 Nov 1911, page 5, column 4, The Militant Suffragette at Bath. (British Newspaper Archive, https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ : accessed 4 Mar 2022)
13. ↑ Birmingham Mail, 19 Jul 1912, page 5, column 1, Police Court Sequel to Yesterday's Outrages. (British Newspaper Archive, https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ : accessed 4 Mar 2022)
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} Mabel Capper. Published 6 Feb 2018. (Warrington Museum and Art Gallery, https://wmag.culturewarrington.org/ : accessed 4 Mar 2022)
15. ↑ ^{15.0 15.1} Atkinson, Diane. Rise Up Women!: The Remarkable Lives of the Suffragettes. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2018, page 542.
16. ↑ "England and Wales Marriage Registration Index, 1837-2005," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVZK-FD4D : 9 October 2014), Mabel H Capper and null, 1921; from "England & Wales Marriages, 1837-2005," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing 1921, quarter 2, vol. 1A, p. 1469, Hampstead, London, England, General Register Office, Southport, England. Spouse: Thomas C. Chisholm.
17. ↑ The National Archives; Kew, London, England; 1939 Register; Reference: RG 101/1895A. 1939 England and Wales Register - Ancestry.com.au. (Ancestry.com, 1939 England and Wales Register - Ancestry.com.au : accessed 4 March 2022) record for Mabel H Chisholm, Schedule Number: 110, Enumeration District: DMLN, Borough: Farnham, Registration District: 33/7. Ancestry Record 61596 #17461889 Ancestry Sharing Link
    

    Hindwood, Farnham, Surrey, England
    Thomas C. Chisholm, Born: 23 Jul 1887, Journalist (editor)
    Mabel H. Chisholm, Born: 23 Jun 1888, Unpaid domestic duties

18. ↑ "England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVC2-STWW : 4 September 2014), Mabel H Cooper, 1966; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, General Register Office, Southport, England.
19. ↑ "England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995". Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 1904 #16722434 (accessed 4 March 2022). Mabel Henrietta Chisholm probate on 2 Dec 1966 in Lewes. Died 1 Sep 1966 in St Leonards-On-Sea.

See Also:

• British Suffragettes
• Wikidata: Item Q6721422