Mary Stewart Kilgour


Mary Stewart Kilgour was a suffragist, educationalist, writer and campaigner for women's rights.

Family

Kilgour was one of 13 children born to a Scottish physician, Dr John Stewart Kilgour, and Susan Anne. Kilgour was born in Longford, Van Diemen's Land in 1851. Her family returned to Britain in 1854, living in Worcester, London, Exmouth and the Isle of Man before settling in Cheltenham in around 1860. Her older sister Agnes Archer Kilgour would become the first President of Leicester's Literary and Philosophical Society. She was born in Longford, Tasmania in 1848.

Work

In 1882, Kilgour collaborated with Annie Leigh Browne, Browne's sister Mary and Henrietta Müller to found College Hall, London.
She was also involved with the Browne sisters in the running of the Women's Local Government Society, succeeding Annie as honorary treasurer from 1892 to 1900, after which Mary Browne retained the post until 1918. Active in Liberal Party circles, she helped found the Union of Practical Suffragists, co-authoring one of its pamphlets.

Writing