Anna Bateson (née Aikin or Aiken, c. 1830 – 1918) was an English suffragist who aided with the foundation of Newnham College, Cambridge.
Anna Bateson | |
|---|---|
 Anna Bateson in 1875 | |
| Born | Anna Aikin or Aiken c. 1830 |
| Died | 1918 |
| Nationality | English |
| Occupation(s) | Suffragist and women's activist |
| Spouse | William Henry Bateson |
| Father | James Aikin |
.jpg)
Early life and family
editBorn about 1830 to James Aikin of Liverpool, she married William Henry Bateson, Master of St John’s College, Cambridge.[1] Four of her children – botanist Anna Bateson, geneticist William Bateson, journalist Margaret Heitland, and historian Mary Bateson – were all active in the women’s suffrage movement.
Newnham College
editIn 1875, Anna encouraged St John’s College to lend land for the first building of Newnham College.[2] She served on the first governing body of the College from 1880 to 1885.[3]
Suffragist and liberal activism
editIn 1884, along with Millicent Fawcett, Kathleen Lyttelton, and her daughter Anna Bateson, she founded the Cambridge Women’s Suffrage Association.[4] She was its secretary until 1890 and also sat on the executive committee of the Central National Society.[1]
She was president of the Cambridge Women’s Liberal Society and an active speaker for the Women’s Liberal Federation, where she served as vice-president.[1]
Death and legacy
editShe died in 1918.[1]
Newnham College has an Anna Bateson Room.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c d Crawford, Elizabeth (2003-09-02). The Women's Suffrage Movement. Routledge. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-203-03109-4.
- ^ "Women at St John's | St John's College, University of Cambridge". www.joh.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
- ^ Richmond, Marsha L. (2001). "Women in the Early History of Genetics: William Bateson and the Newnham College Mendelians, 1900-1910". Isis. 92 (1): 64. ISSN 0021-1753.
- ^ Newspaper cutting of obituary of Mrs. Anna Bateson, founder of C.W.S.A. from Cambridge Daily News. 1918-07-15.
- ^ "The Pavilion Rooftop Meeting Room and Additional Event Space – Newnham College". newn.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2024-01-17.