A LEADER OF WOMEN.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XCIX, Issue 11537, 25 March 1898, Page 3

A LEADER OF WOMEN.

LADY LAUEA BIDDING- AT HOME. {The Young Woman.) Thurgarton Priory is situated in one of the loveliest parts of the famed Trent Valley. The house itself is one of those quaint old structures, half chapel half mansion, that represent the gifts which Henry VIET., with lavish hand, made to his nobles and favourites at the time of the dissolution of the monasteries. Most of these ancient seats of monastic life have been strangely altered in the secular hands of their subsequent owners; and Thurgarton Priory has not escaped this fate, for radical changes have been made upon it since bluff King Hal gave its last monkish, tenants notice ■to quit. The old chapel, considerably “renovated,”.is still intact; but all that remains of the original Priory is the cellarage of the present ivy-clad mansion. The Priory was founded in 11130,l 1 130, and the Canons of the Order of St Augustine, for whom it was built, must have had a perfect eye for the beauty of. situation ; they could scarcely have found a more, delightful spot in .the whole valley of the, Trent,

The Lady Laura Riddingis widely Itnown for her work in behalf of women. Ber parentage, and her marriage to the former headmaster of Winchester, who, in 1884, became the first Bishop of Southwell, were things that could scarce have failed to make the personality of her ladyship a subject of much interest; but she has that in her which raises her to a position of dignity and importance such as rank does not always give. Her father, the late Earl of Selborne, who died in the spring of 1895, was for nearly half a century one of the most prominent figures in the political and religious life of the country; as Sir Roundell Palmer, he became the greatest Church lawyer of his time, and he sat in the House of Commons for many years, first as member for Plymouth, then for Richmond, before he was elevated in 1872 to the high office of Lord Chancellor as Baron Selborne. He had four years previously refused the Chancellorship because he did not see eye to eye with Mr Gladstone in his Irish Church policy, agreeing with the Premier on Disestablishment, but not on the question of Disendowment. Under the guidance of a father so gifted and distinguished, Lady Laura was bound to develop an exceptional interest in public affairs, and her opportunities for forming sane and settled opinions must have been taken full advantage of, judging from the views she is now known to.entertain. Her marriage to the Rev George Ridding in 1876 was a. very happy event, which added greatly to the success _of Winchester College during the later period of Dr Bidding's headmastership;. for her ladyship, with that energy and thoroughness which characterise all her doings, threw herself heartily into the duties and responsibilities of the position, and became forthwith an immense favourite with her husband's pupils. On settling at Thurgarton Priory in 1884, Lady Laura had a grand field lying ready to her hand, and in the years that have intervened she may be said to have cultivated it with assiduity and success. A new diocese gives to its bishop the rare privilege of beginning at the beginning, which is a much greater incentive to enthusiasm than the taking up of a task where others have left off .Lady Ridding was grateful for the opportunities; thus given her of being allowed to share in the women’s work of the diocese. Numerous social agencies have been set on foot by her ladyship; her influence is felt and recognised in ever quarter of the bishopric; and the Southwell Women’s League, which she founded, and of which she is the president, is ono of the strongest organisations of women in the country. It represents at least s x thousand women in the diocese, and its far-reaching influence will be understood when it is inown, in the words of her ladyship, that the League includes in its membership' "the wives, mothers, and workers of the two counties of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire; miners’ wives, labourers’ wives, mechanics’ wives, factoxy and warehouse workers, shop employes, day and Sunday school teachers, parish workers, Poor-Law guardians, philanthropic workers, the wives of professional men and of country squires, and some of the highest in the land.” Surely, a liberal representation of .womankind! ~ ■

As far back as 1887 we find her taking a prominent part in connection with the Church Congress, held that year at Wolverhampton, when she delivered one of the most striking speeches at the meet-' ing for women members; and she was busy at the time of our visit helpingln the , preparations for the women’s meetings; of last year’s Congress, which was held"'at Nottingham under the presidency either husband, and which : naturally taxed her' powers of organisation tjbj- utmost. Her ladyship was; also; actively -concerned in the inauguration of that most Valuable institution known as the National Union. of Women Workers; and at its Conference, which was held in Nottingham in October, 1895, her energy and cheering presence largely contributed to its success, the charming little address of welcome which it was her privilege to deliver being warmly received by all the distinguished ladies who were present on the occasion. It is indeed a pleasure to hear Lady Laura speak; there is music in her voice, and every word comes clear, weighted with just the necessary emphasis to give the hearer the most accurate idea of the thought which the speaker wisihes to convey. To listen to a speech by her is to realise how womanly it is possible for a gifted lady to be in a position which the exploded canons of custom once prevented her occupying, Holding advanced ideas as to the emancipation or. perhaps ,we had, better say the elevation —of her sex, her ladyship is as unlike the so-called " new woman” as one could well imagine. Her manner is charming in the fullest sense of, that much misused word, and she advocates the causes in which she isinterested .witha persuasive eloquence and au pbyious earnestness that ' cannot' "'MI vince. i •• ■

As we sit to-day in the beautifully appointed drawing-room of the Priory, in which the heightening '-touches?<sfc‘!«r.ji|*ue woman’s hand are seen in every obrner, our talk rambles along many byways of discussion, but always keepingthe interest of womankind in view —“the eternalwomanly ever leadeth us on”! “Yes, I’m in favour of women’s suffrage,” says her ladyship with decision. “ But I am willing that it should come gradually —just as it has come to men. Indeed I scarcely think it would be wise to enfranchise women all at once; for it cannot be denied that while there is a large section of womankind quite as competent-’as-the other sex to use the vote with discretion—largely due to circumstances, of upbringing—there is, as truly, a considerable portion of the female sex who are,hot -eminently ’fitted to be-entrusted .withlvthe disposal of a parliamentary; vqte, fpapd whom it would be necessary "to-educate >up to the responsibility. Already we, have women voting for Parish Councils, School Boards, Boards of Guardians, arid Town Councils, and it seems to me that the only .logical conclusion of this lies in the ultimate extension of the PaEiianMintaEy Franchise.” ’