Elizabeth Impey: Baptist and Suffragette (1878–1972)

ABSTRACT

Elizbeth Impey is known as an early organiser of the Women’s Social and Political Union in North Hertfordshire. She was also for a time a member of Tilehouse Street Baptist Church, Hitchin. This essay sets out her dual allegiances.

KEYWORDS:

• Impey
• Hitchin
• Baptist
• WSPU

Notes

1 An account of Elizabeth’s activities as a Suffragette and others in North Hertfordshire can be found in Suffrage Stories: tales from Knebworth, Stevenage, Hitchin and Letchworth ed Bethany Barrett-Sanders and Emma Lenton, Stevenage, 2019, largely drawing on an unpublished manuscript in North Herts Museum in Hitchin No right to an opinion by Anthony Foster, Elizabeth’s nephew, from papers given to him by his aunt.

2 CWG 25th annual report May 1907–May 1908 recorded a resolution had been passed in 1907 supporting the enfranchisement for the wives of voters, amended to all women. and passed.

3 In 1907, the Hitchin Women’s Liberal Association voted 49–7 against extending the franchise.

4 Unattributed. Transcript in Elizabeth Impey archive, The Women’s Library, London School of Economics

5 Letchworth Citizen, 22nd July 1912.

6 The church records show that in July 1875 they were interviewed by the church for an unspecified charge of having ‘dishonoured their profession’, showed repentance and were suspended from membership for six months, after which period they were welcomed back.

7 In the 1891 Census he was recorded as an errand boy, in 1901 as a drug distiller’s chemical assistant and in 1911 as manufacturing chemist’s foreman. By his death in 1942 he had become co-director of the manufacturing and pharmaceutical chemist firm. The firm in question was William Ransom’s of Hitchin.

8 Millicent is not a Chambers family name and it is tempting to see a reference to Millicent Fawcett. Millicent Price did not move to Letchworth until 1906.

9 The letter is in the Elizabeth Impey archive in North Herts Museum.

10 Church records held by Tilehouse Street Baptist church, Hitchin. The church history Come Wind, Come Weather, G.E.Evans, 1969, largely drawing on church and Sunday School minute books does not mention her at all.

11 In the first Annual Report of the Girls’ School in 1891, it was noted ‘Some few alterations have been made in the Establishment since its commencement … .. writing which it is agreed on all hands is not so essential a branch of education for the poor, as Reading and Needlework, has been limited to twice a week, and further the first or lowest class is not now allowed to write at all’ (Ladies Committee book cited in Hitchin British School Schooldays 1810–1900 by Flora Dodwell, North Herts District Libraries, 1993.

12 Elizabeth Impey archive, North Herts Museum, handwritten draft of lecture notes.