A LEADER OF WOMEN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6132, 19 March 1898, Page 3

A LEADER OF WOMEN.

Lady laura ridding at home. {Tha 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 VIII., 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 thi3 fafce, for radical changes have bean 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 ia the cellarage of the present ivy-clad mansion. The Priory was founded in 1130, and the Caiions of the Order of St Augustine, for whom it was built, must have had a perfect eyo 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 known for her work in behalf of women. Her parentage, and her marriage to the former headmaster of Winchester, who, in 1884, became the first Bishop of Fouthwell, 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 fignres in the political and religious life of the country; as Sir Roundel! 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 aye 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 wa3 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 en- . tertain. Her marriage to the Rev George Bidding in 1876 was a very happy event ■which added greatly to the success of "Winchester College during the later period of P.r Bidding's headmastership ; for her ladyship, with that energy and thoroughness which characterise all her doincs 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 lyW ready to her hand, and hi 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 Riddinc •was grateful for the opportunities thus givenher of being allowed to share in the women's work of the diocese. Numerous Bocial agencies have been set on foot by her ladyship; her influence is felt and recognised in ever quarter o f the bishopric; and the Southwell Women's League, which she founded and of which she is the preaident, is one of the strongest organisations of women in the country. It represents at least six thousand women in the diocese, and its far-reaching i n fl v . ence will be understood when it is known, in the words of her ladyship, that the League includes in its membership "the wives, mothers, and workers ot the two counties of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire; miners' wives, labourers wives, mechanics' wives, factory and warehouse workers, shop employes, day and Sunday school teachers, parish workers, J^oor-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 moat striking speeches at the meet-

ing for women members ; and she was busy at the time of our visit helping in the preparations for the women's meetings of last year's Congress, which was held 'at Nottingham under the presidency of her husband, and which naturally taxed, her powers of organisation to the 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, aud every word comes clear, weighted with just the necessary emphasis to give tho hearer the most accurate idea of the thought which the speaker wishes to convey. To listen to a speech by her is to realise how womanly ifc is possible for a gifted lady to be in a position which the exploded canons of custom oncG2>revented her occupying, Holding advanced ideas as to the emancipation —or perhap3 we had better say, the elevation-r^of her sex, her ladyship is a3 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 tho causes in which she is interested with a persuasive eloquence and an obvious earnestness that cannot fail to convince. As we sit to-day in the beautifully appointed dvawing-room of tho Priory, in which the heightening touches of a true woman's hand are seen in every corner, our talk rambles along many byways of discussion, but always keeping the interest of womankind iv view — " tho 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 lias cotao to men. Indeed I scarcely think it would be wise to enfranchise women all at oace ; 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 . aye not eminently fitted to be entrusted with the disposal of a parliamentary vote, and whom it would ba necessary to educate up to the responsibility. Already we have women voting for Parish Councils, School Boards, Boards of Guardians, and Town Councils, and it seems to me that the only logical conclusion of this lies in the .ultimate extension of the Parliamentary Franchise."