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Margaret MacDonald | |
|---|---|
 MacDonald in 1906 | |
| Born | Margaret Ethel Gladstone (1870-07-20)20 July 1870 Kensington,London, England |
| Died | 8 September 1911(1911-09-08) (aged 41) Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, England |
| Resting place | Spynie Cemetery,Morayshire, Scotland |
| Occupations | Feminist andsocial reformer |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 6, includingMalcolm,Ishbel andSheila |
| Father | John Hall Gladstone (1827–1902) |
| Relatives | Isabella Holmes (half-sister) |
Margaret Ethel MacDonald (néeGladstone; 20 July 1870 – 8 September 1911) was a Britishfeminist,social reformer, and wife of Labour politicianRamsay MacDonald from 1896 until her death from blood poisoning in 1911.
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Margaret Gladstone was born on 20 July 1870 in Kensington, London, toJohn Hall Gladstone, laterFullerian Professor of Chemistry at theRoyal Institution, and his second wife Margaret (nee King), a niece ofLord Kelvin. Her mother died soon after she was born. She was educated bothat home and atDoreck College inBayswater. Early in adulthood she was involved in voluntarysocial work, including visits for theCharity Organisation Society inHoxton.[1] Her half sister wasIsabella Holmes, who later became a noted social reformer, and an expert on London's burial grounds.[2]By 1890, Margaret was a keen socialist, influenced by theChristian socialists and theFabian Society.
In 1894, she joined theWomen'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. She was comfortably off, although not wealthy. This allowed them to indulge in foreign travel, visitingCanada and theUnited States in 1897,South Africa in 1902,Australia andNew Zealand in 1906, andIndia several times.
After her marriage she was concerned about the need for skilled work and training for women and played a key part in establishing the firsttrade schools for girls in 1904. She continued this work until 1910.[1]
She was a member of theNational Union of Women Workers. She served on the executive of theNational Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, and she was opposed to militant action. In 1906 she became involved in the formation of theWomen's Labour League, serving as chair until her death in 1911.[3]
The marriage to Ramsay MacDonald was a very happy one, and they had six children, includingMalcolm MacDonald (1901–1981), who had a prominent career as a politician, colonial governor, and diplomat;Ishbel MacDonald (1903–1982), official hostess to her father andSheila MacDonald who had political ambitions.[4] After Margaret MacDonald's death on 8 September 1911, Ramsay MacDonald becamePrime Minister of the United Kingdom three times but did not remarry.[5] Ishbel and Sheila served as his hostess at functions.[4]
TheMemorial to Margaret MacDonald was said to be designed by her husband, and sculpted byRichard Reginald Goulden. It was unveiled in 1914 in the garden ofLincoln's Inn Fields, London.[6]
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