Jessie Anne Douglas Montgomery (1851–1918), known as Jessie Montgomery, was an English educational administrator, activist and

suffragist Suffrage, political franchise, or simply franchise is the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums (although the term is sometimes used for any right to vote). In some languages, and occasionally in English, the right to vo ...

associated with women's formal education in the

Exeter Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...

area.

Early life

Montgomery was born on 6 August 1851 in London to the Rev. Robert Montgomery (1807–1855) and his wife Rachel Catherine Andrews McKenzie (1814−1882). On Robert's death, his widow and daughter moved to Exeter, where they lived in the Cathedral Close with Rachel's sister, Jessie Barbara Cook (1811–1899), and her husband, Rev.

Frederic Charles Cook Frederic Charles Cook (1 December 1804– 22 June 1889) was an English churchman, known as a linguist and the editor of the ''Speaker's Commentary'' on the Bible. Life Born at Millbrook, Hampshire, and later moved to Berkshire, he was admitted a ...

(1805–1889), Canon of

Exeter Cathedral Exeter Cathedral, properly known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter in Exeter, is an Anglican cathedral, and the seat of the Bishop of Exeter, in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Exeter, Devon, in South West England. The presen ...

. After her mother's death in 1882, Montgomery moved to a large house in Baring Crescent, Exeter.

Education career

Despite limited opportunities for her own education, Montgomery became an activist over several decades for women's education in the Exeter area. Having successfully completed several courses at the Exeter Museum Centre, she became joint secretary to the University Extension Centre, and convenor of the Ladies' Students' Association. She became a governor of the Royal Albert Memorial Museum College, which became the Royal Albert Memorial College, the forerunner of both the University College of the South-West and then the

University of Exeter The University of Exeter is a research university in the West Country of England, with its main campus in Exeter, Devon. Its predecessor institutions, St Luke's College, Exeter School of Science, Exeter School of Art, and the Camborne School of ...

Suffragist

Montgomery inaugurated the Exeter Branch of the

National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies The National Union of Women Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), also known as the ''suffragists'' (not to be confused with the suffragettes) was an organisation founded in 1897 of women's suffrage societies around the United Kingdom. In March 1919 it w ...

, and became its first secretary (1909–1911). Despite her organisation, activism and public speaking for women's suffrage, she did not survive long enough to cast a vote.

Death and legacy

On 13 October 1918, aged 67, Montgomery died in hospital in

Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...

during an operation. She is commemorated by a memorial in the

.Woman and Her Sphere website, ''Suffrage Stories: Devon Suffragists'', March 26, 2013
/ref> A house in the

former Duryard Halls of Residence was named "Jessie Montgomery" in her honour. A Common Room at Duryard Hall was previously named after her.University of Exeter website, Special Collections Archive, ''Jessie Montgomery common room, Duryard Halls''
/ref>

References

People associated with the University of Exeter Activists from London British education activists English suffragettes 1851 births 1918 deaths {{UK-edu-stub