Lady Liverpool

Southland Times, Issue 22074, 22 July 1933, Page 17

Lady Liverpool

FIRST PRESIDENT I.C.W. The history of the National Council of Women was the subject of a particularly interesting and instructive address given by Mrs Stanley Brown to members of the Trained Nurses’ Association at their monthly meeting last week—a history so intimately bound up in the lives of Lord and Lady Liverpool that a short sketch of their lives formed a fitting introduction to the subject. Each life had a deeply religious basis, and these two people, who were very great personal friends of Gladstone and Professor H. Drummond, accepted their high office in life as a stewardship which, while bringing with it great opportunity, also brought great responsibility. In their own home life, at Haddo Hall, in the early years of their married life, they had established movements for the uplift of their servants —a district nurse, a cottage hospital, hot penny dinners for the school children, and the wives and daughters of farmers met there to sew for the poor, and enjoyed a social cup of tea. They also took an interest in the educational pursuits of the villagers, and organized social evenings in which _ local talent had a chance of expression. In every way they tried to induce their people to follow up the education begun at school. Their scheme for brining together mistresses and maids in rural districts started first in their own home staff, developing into the Onwards and Upwards Association, with 115 branches and a membership of 8280, including married associates who transferred to Lady Alice Fergusson’s Mothers’ Union. From the beginning,, they led busy political lives, and ultimately became Lord Lieutenants of Ireland. . Again they proceeded to better the lives of the people, going into village industries, promoting lace-making and linen. Using only Irish things herself, Lady Liverpool went to America, where an exhibition was to be held, and organized an Irish court there, with the. result that Irish goods were popularized, and Irish plays and Irish music, at the same time endearing themselves in a wonderful way to the American Irish people. From Ireland they went to Canada, where Lord Liverpool was appointed Governor-General. The appointment was made during their visit to America, and it was in the period of shifting, when they were home at Haddo House preparing for removal, that a telegram arrived: “You have been appointed president I.C.W. Writing.” At the time, Lady Liverpool felt inclined to cable back: “What is I.C.W?”

In due course came a letter explaining that the Quinquennial Conference was next to be held in London, and that a British woman should be president—and out of the two nominations, she had been chosen. When she wrote back enquiring the duties, the answer was: Only to preside. As they were going to Canada, the duties could wait. Meanwhile she had to learn.

The conception of the International Council of Women, and of the National Council’s making up the whole, was due to a group of splendid pioneer women of America, among whom were Miss Susan B. Anthony, Miss F. Willard, Mrs Caby Stanton, Miss Clara Barton, Mrs May Wright Sewall, who was chairwoman, and a leading spirit of the committee, which drew up the constitution embodying ideals which have made the International Council of Women what it is. The preamble is “Love women of all nations.” The first meeting took place at Washington in 1889.

A month after Lady Liverpool’s entry into Canada she was approached with regard to forming a N.C.W. in Canada, and she approached Lady Aberdeen, who became first president of the Canadian N.C.W. In her own vice-regal capacity, when she visited a town she would form a local council run on exactly the lines of the national one at Ottawa, so that the I.C.W. soon had 20 councils, and in 1920 the number had reached 62.

Mrs Brown proceeded to outline the aims of the Council, and to explain in brief what it achieved in these first years, and how its power became definitely established. She then dwelt very interestingly on the work that had been done in the Invercargill branch of N.C.W., of which she is president, and concluded on the emphatic note: “If women want a thing, they must go and get it,” stressing the need for the support and co-operation of the rank and file in such a movement and towards such accomplishment.