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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Suffolk => Topic started by: janglaschu on Thursday 12 June 08 19:05 BST (UK)
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My grandmother's cousin, Mary Whitmore (nee Fletcher) was the first female mayor of Ipswich in 1946-7. She was a suffragette and always had an interest in women's health and education. She studied at Whitelands College and later taught at Nacton Road Mixed School. In 1951 she was awarded an MBE for her public service.
In her later years I understand she went to live in the rectory in Belchamp Otten, with her daughter (Enid?) who was married to the rector, R. Trevor Howard. Mary died in 1974.
I would love to find out any more about Mary; especially interested in anyone who might remember her, or know something more about her public service. Also keen to get in touch with any remaining family members.
thanks,
Janet
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Hi Janet,
Ipswich council should be able to help out with details of Mary's council activities. Their website www.ipswich.gov.uk has a link to contact them.
Good luck,
Nanny Jan
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Thanks, I had been in touch with them already, and with the Ipswich RO, but was hoping to learn a bit more about Mary's later life, and especially if anyone remembered her or the family. ;)
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Hi,
Have you looked for an obituary in a local newspaper? It might include details of her later life.
Nanny Jan
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I have been sent a copy of her obituary, which did give me many details, but not much on her MBE, just that she had received it in 1951 "for her public service".
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Mary Whitmore was my Great Grandma, but she died a long time before I was born. Enid and the late, great Trevor Howard are my paternal grandparents. Mary Whitmore's husband, James, played for Ipswich Town
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Hi ontheball,
That's great to know that there is still some family out there! Mary was my grandmother's cousin, I have an old photo of her in her graduation robes. You may already have a copy of this, but if not I'd be happy to forward a copy, if you pm me with your email address. I also managed to get a copy of Mary's records from Whitelands College, where she studied, and some details from her obituary etc, sent by Ipswich Records Office. I also have one or two postcards sent by Mary and her sisters to my grandmother and her sisters. Nice to hear from you,
Janet (in Glasgow)
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Dear Janglashu + Ontheball
There may be references to Belchamp Otten on the Foxearth Local History web site, www.foxearth.org.uk
If you wish to discover any more family members in that area of Suffolk you could send a letter to the Suffolk Free Press, the weekly newspaper for the Sudbury area of Suffolk at www.suffolkfreepress.co.uk/
Or for wider area of the county www.eadt.co.uk the East Anglian Daily Times - as it says, the daily newpaper for Suffolk.
Pat ...
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Thanks, SM,
Janet
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This is a picture of Mary in her graduation robes (1905).
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What a beautiful photograph Janet.
So clear as if it were taken recently.
Whitelands College?
Is that the one in SW London?
Pat ...
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The photo has been enhanced slightly by a friend who is a whizz with that sort of software; it has indeed sharpened it up beautifully.
Whitelands College is now part of Roehampton University; it was then a teacher training College, I suppose one of the earliestwhere women could study. I sent off for Mary's exam record and the archivist was very helpful.
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Ah ha!
Now you know one of my secrets - I met my Suffolk bor when he was a student in London and I had just returned from working abroad.
John had become friendly with my cousin and that is how we met.
I lived with my family in Putney - not a million miles from Roehampton.
Instead of taking the job in Toronto I took the job in Suffolk (wife, mother etc etc).
Putney and Roehampton seemed to be full of Teacher Training Colleges in the 60s and 70s. Now they have all merged into Roehampton Uni.
Certainly the Colleges had a very good reputation for turning out excellent women teachers.
All best wishes for Christmas :)
Pat ...
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Mary's memory is still alive in Ipswich. A group of us have produced a Self Guided Walk Booklet about women who made a significant contribution to Ipswich life and along with 3 others. A Blue Plaque is to be unveiled on the Town Hall in her honour on Saturday 8th October 2016. We contacting family of the four women. If you want to learn more please let me know. You can see more about Mary in our booklet, available from Ipswich Tourist Information and on our website at
http://ipswichwomeninhistory.co.uk
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Ooooh how exciting! I wonder if I will be able to get along to the unveiling? Will definitley get a copy of the booklet next time I call in the TIC.
There is a talk on our Suffolk pioneering women at The Long Shop Museum on Wednesday evening and I would like to go, but it clashes with a talk at Framlingham LHG ::)
Thank you for the information Ipswich Women in History.
SM ...
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The Gloucester Citizen, 21 Dec 1946
YOUR WORSHIP?
Ipswich Town councillors want to know the correct mode of address for their first woman mayor Alderman Mrs Mary Whitmore. At her first council meeting the score was "Madam Mayor" (49 times); "Madam Chairman" (25); "Sir" (20); "Mrs Mayor" (12) and "Madam Chair" (once).
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If you are a relative or descendant of Mary Whitmore can you send a message and email address
to our group via the contact page of our website and we will get back to you as we would like to invite you to the unveiling
Regards
http://ipswichwomeninhistory.co.uk/contact-us/
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Dear SM thanks for your interest in the Ipswich women who have been hidden from history. Are you a relative of Mary's ? If so please get in touch as we really want family or descendants to be there. The launch is for relatives of the women concerned and will be hosted by the Mayor of Ipswich.
However on the 6th November our group is running a tea and quiz at Arlingtons in Museum Street Ipswich where we will be celebration these women and this will be open to all. Tickets will be available from Arlingtons Let me know if you are interested
Pat on behalf of Ipswich Women in History
ontheball and janglaschu are you relatives of Mary Whitmore?
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Glad to see that Margaret Catchpole has been included on the list of Ipswich Women in History. Her story is fascinating, and quite different from the fictionalised version written by the Rev Richard Cobbold who, in my opinion, did Margaret a great disservice by trying to gentrify her. Her original letters are absolutely wonderful, and I am fortunate to have typed copies of some of her letters, from transcriptions made in about 1970. These letters really do show the real woman, her struggles, and the courage and fortitude she needed to cope with conditions as a convict.
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Janglashu is a relative and has been trying to email you via the website without success. I am not a relative but am interested in Suffolk Women in history, particularly the Garrett women.
SM ...
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I'm glad to see Mary being recognised in this way; not sure that I'd be able to make it to the unveiling (from Glasgow), but hope it all goes well. Very proud of Mary, my grandmother's cousin.
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Dear Janet, it is a real shame you can't make it to the launch but completely understand if you live in Ipswich. We have been searching for other relatives of Mary, including her grandchildren ?? Katherine, Rosalind, Penelope or Andrew. There doesn't seem to be any further posts from ontheball
Here is a copy of our press release which is going out soon and the walk around the sites are open to the public Pat if you are interested.
Pat
Ipswich Women's Festivai Group
On Saturday 8th October 2016 four new blue plaques will be unveiled commemorating important Ipswich women.
Ipswich Women’s Festival Group in conjunction with The Ipswich Society believe this will go some way towards redressing the underrepresentation of blue plaques for women in the town.
The new plaques will recognise the contribution of these remarkable women:
Margaret Tempest (Lady Mears) 1892-1982 – distinguished artist and co-founder of The Chelsea Illustrators. She is best known for her illustrations of the Little Grey Rabbit books by Alison Uttley. (2pm, St Edmund’s Rd)
Nina Layard (1853-1935) – archaeologist and Fellow, Society of Antiquarians. She had a ground-breaking career at a time when women struggled to make headway in the professions. (2.45pm, Blackfriars, Foundation Street)
Constance Andrews (b 1864) – social reformer, most prominent local suffragette. She was a courageous woman who led protests locally in the campaign for Votes for Women. (3.15pm, Arlingtons Brasserie, Museum St)
Mary Whitmore MBE (1884-1974). First woman mayor of Ipswich. She worked tirelessly to improve the life chances of Ipswich people. (3.45pm, Town Hall)
Members of the public are invited to join us at any or all of the sites for the launch of the new plaques, but the Reception afterward is for invited guests only. There will be a further celebration event which the public is welcome to attend at Arlingtons in November.
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I know that Mary lived with her daughter and son-in-law in Essex (Belchamp Otten?) in the last years of her life; maybe the grandchildren live in that area? Not sure if the family moved back to Suffolk.
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Dear Janet I found this information
Enid HOWARD
Originally printed on April 14, 2016 in the East Anglian Daily Times.
Viewed by 112 Visitors.
HOWARD Enid. Wife of the late Canon Trevor Howard and mother of Katherine, Rosalind, Penelope and Andrew. Died peacefully aged 92 on April 10, 2016. Funeral at Belchamp Otten Church at 12 noon on Tuesday April 26.
I have been in touch with the Parish Clerk at Belchamp Otten and she has asked around and not found anyone who knows the family
I also found this in the Independent (1993) as regards Trevor Howard.
Canon Trevor Howard, Rector, Belchamp Otten and Belchamp Walter with Bulmer (Chelmsford): to retire as from 31 March, when he will be appointed a Canon Emeritus of Chelmsford Cathedral.
I have contacted the cathedral and they say they have no knowledge of Trevor Howard
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Thanks, I know I had read something similar in her obituary in the Evening Star in 1974 - "Mrs Whitmore, who was a widow, had lived for the past two or three years at Belchamp Otten Rectory, near Sudbury, the home of her son-in-law and daughter, the Rev. and Mrs R. Trevor Howard."
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We had a wonderful event to celebrate the 4 Blue Plaques to Ipswich women
Here is a link to an article in the local paper
http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/blue_plaques_recognise_ipswich_s_most_successful_women_1_4740254