Frances Helen Simson (1854–1938) was a Scottish

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 ...

, campaigner for women's higher education and one of the first of eight women graduates from the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

in 1893.

Early life

Born in Edinburgh on 2 April 1854, Simson was one of the nine children of Jane Christiana Aberdein (''b''. 1820) and William Simson (1811–1858), secretary of the

Bank of Scotland The Bank of Scotland plc (Scottish Gaelic: ''Banca na h-Alba'') is a commercial bank, commercial and clearing (finance), clearing bank based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is part of the Lloyds Banking Group. The bank was established by the Par ...

. She lived with her family in Eton Terrace,

New Town New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz (South Korean band), The Boyz * New (album), ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 ** New (Paul McCartney song), "New" (Paul McCartney song), 2013 * New (EP), ''New'' (EP), ...

, for much of her life.

Education

Simson was the eldest, at 38 years of age, of all the women who graduated in Masters of Arts, made possible by the Universities (Scotland) Act of 1889. In 1867, Simson had enrolled in degree classes delivered by the Edinburgh Association for the University Education of Women (EAUEW; formerly the Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association, ELEA, founded in 1867).

Women's Rights

Together with Margaret Nairn,

Elsie Inglis Eliza Maud "Elsie" Inglis (16 August 1864 – 26 November 1917) was a Scottish medical doctor, surgeon, teacher, suffragist, and founder of the Scottish Women's Hospitals. She was the first woman to hold the Serbian Order of the White Eagl ...

, Frances Melville and

Chrystal Macmillan Jessie Chrystal Macmillan (13 June 1872 – 21 September 1937) was a suffragist, peace activist, barrister, feminist and the first female science graduate from the University of Edinburgh as well as that institution's first female honours gradu ...

, Simson petitioned the right for five women graduates to vote for the university MP at the general election of 1906 to no avail. Women did not have the right to vote in elections, but Simson and the others wanted to make this a test case, so went to an appeal in November 1907, which also failed. The group then were rallied to raise £1000 to support mounting their case for women graduates to be given the vote, to the

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in November 1908 where Macmillan opened and performed as senior counsel, with Simson making general argument and closing the case on 12 November. Margaret Nairn wrote to Simson on 17 November 1908, thanking her for speaking in their cause, and saying that 'y''our words and Miss Macmillan's will go down in history''' and quoted

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

's '' Love’s Labours Lost. Act IV. Sc. 1. ’and praise we may afford to any lady that subdues a Lord!’'' (original letter is in the University of Edinburgh archives). Some women did not get the right to vote for members of parliament in the UK until the passing of the ''Representation of the People Act 1918''. Simson was also the president of the Scottish Universities Women's Suffrage Union, and affiliated to

NUWSS 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 ...

. Simson was warden of Masson Hall of Residence for Women Students in Edinburgh from 1897 to 1917.

Later life

In October 1933, the year University of Edinburgh celebrated its 350th anniversary, Simson was awarded an honorary degree of LLD, as the only woman graduand, recognising her responsibility in the university education of women. Later that year, at the time she was president of the Edinburgh Equal Citizenship Society which emerged from the national group successor to the NUWSS, and was working with Rosaline Masson, and honoured in a luncheon held at the site of the former Caledonian Hotel on Princes Street, Edinburgh. Lady Alexandra Watson, Dame Sarah Siddons, Dr Frances Melville, Professor E.T. Whittaker, and Dr Marion Gilchrist were among, hundred-plus guests that attended the event in honour of her work campaigning for women's education.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Simson, Frances 1854 births 1938 deaths Scottish suffragists Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Activists from Edinburgh Scottish educators