Laura Ridding: Founding member of National Union of Women Workers

However, her most significant and enduring achievement was as joint founder of the National Union of Women Workers (NUWW), which originated as a conference of women’s philanthropic and professional groups. The organisation continues today as the National Council of Women, whose goal is to ‘influence Government policy to improve the quality and equality of life for everyone’, and to ensure ‘women’s voices and perspectives are heard and taken into account in policy making’.

Laura Elizabeth Palmer was born in Harley Street, London in 1849 the eldest child of Lady Laura Waldegrave and Roundell Palmer, First Lord Selborne. From an early age Laura was influenced by her family’s strong Anglican faith and her home life. Her father’s role as a lawyer and Lord Chancellor (1872-4 and 1880-5) together with her mother’s philanthropic activities brought a number of distinguished visitors to their home. Laura, surrounded by highly influential and well-connected people, became immersed in discussions on politics, societal concerns and religious matters. 

Although educated at home like many women of her social class, Laura lived in a household where education was highly valued. She was an avid reader, writer and illustrator and began writing stories and poetry at a young age. Her writing was heavily influenced by the work of Winchester novelist and committed Anglican Charlotte Yonge. Laura later had some of her papers published in The Monthly Packet of Evening Readings for Members of the English Church a magazine edited by Yonge. In her late teens, Laura began to help her mother with her work for the Parochial Mission Women’s Association. 

Laura’s links to Hampshire and in particular Winchester when her father purchased an area of land including Blackmoor Farm near Borden, and commissioned Blackmoor House to be built. This later went on to become the family’s country home. Laura was a frequent visitor to Winchester after her brother William started at Winchester College and her father, who had also been educated at the college, became a member of the governing body (1875). In 1876 Laura married the Revd Dr George Ridding, Headmaster of Winchester College. Laura had met widower George at the college a number of years earlier although she had not initially taken to him. However, through their regular contact, Laura’s feelings towards him changed and grew. 

The move to Winchester brought Laura into closer contact with other activist women in Winchester’s clerical milieu including Mary Sumner, Josephine Butler, Charlotte Yonge and Ellen Joyce. Alongside supporting her husband in his role at Winchester College, Laura continued her interest in the welfare of young women and girls. Laura was involved with rescue and preventative work and in particular supporting ‘friendless girls’ in the Winchester area. Laura and well-known social reformer Josephine Butler invited social purity campaigner Ellice Hopkins to come and speak in order to raise funds and interest in their work. This, together with numerous other fundraising activities, resulted in the opening of Colebrook House a shelter home for girls and young women under the auspices of the Winchester Association for the Care of Friendless Girls. Laura became one of the treasurers of the association. In 1882, a Diocesan Training Home for Friendless Girls was then opened at Connaught House in Romsey Road. 

According to the Chronicle of February 21 1885, the home had much to thank Laura and George for including their ‘liberality and watchful and fostering care’. The article went on to add that the ‘city and neighbourhood owed much for many years’ to the couple. 

When George was offered the bishopric of Southwell in 1884, Laura realised they would have to leave their beloved Winchester including the boys and staff at Winchester College. The Chronicle reported on George becoming Bishop of Southwell and noted Laura’s contribution to George’s role as headmaster: ‘her unfailing and active interest and sympathy contributed greatly to the success of his subsequent work at Winchester’. Once settled in her new home, Laura continued her rescue work setting up Southwell House a home for ‘fallen women’ and the Southwell Women’s League. Her public speaking skills and philanthropic activity which had been honed during her time in Winchester were put to good use. 

In 1895 Laura alongside others including author Louise Creighton (1850-1936) and philanthropic activist Emily Janes (1846-1928) founded the National Union of Women Workers (NUWW). The Union was instigated in order to investigate and bring public attention to a range of issues relating to women and girls. It provided a public voice for the women’s movement. Laura was a member of the sixteen strong executive committee from the start. She can also be seen to have inherited some of her father’s legal mind as she was chair of the legislative committee between 1899-1910, with her secretary at one time being Mrs Ramsay Macdonald (wife of the Labour politician). 

Following the death of her husband in 1904, Laura returned to the Winchester area and bought the Old House in Wonston where she lived until her death at the age of 90. Laura continued her work with the NUWW becoming Central President from 1909 to 1911 and an active member of the Winchester branch of the union. Both local and national NUWW meetings were advertised and reported on by the Chronicle. The meetings focused on contemporary issues of the time, the topic of the Winchester branch discussion in November 1909 was ‘Child Labour’. It was during this period that Laura became more involved with the Mothers’ Union which had been founded by another of the Winchester resident Mary Sumner. Laura instigated the Mothers’ Union Watch Committee in 1912. Its remit was to gather evidence to present to government commissions with the aim of influencing policy. 

Throughout her life, Laura continued writing. Alongside maintaining a diary and authoring numerous articles, Laura wrote three biographies. The first, published in 1908, was a biography of her late husband, George Ridding, Schoolmaster and Bishop, 43rd Head of Winchester, 1866-1884, first Bishop of Southwell, 1884-1904. She also wrote biographies of her sister Lady Sophia Palmer, Comtesse de Franqueville and her nephew Robert Palmer who died during the first world war in Mesopotamia. 

An accomplished woman in her own right, Laura utilised her social, political and kinship networks to further causes relating to women’s rights. Laura passed away on May 22 1939 at her home in Wonston.