Frances Porter Murray (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Stoddard, 23 February 1843 – 3 April 1919) was a

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 ...

raised in Scotland, an advocate of women's education, a lecturer in Scottish music and a writer.

Early life and family

Frances Murray was born in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

USA The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

in 1843 to Arthur Stoddard and Frances Stoddard, both of whom were active abolitionists. The family emigrated to

Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...

in 1844. In 1853, the Stoddard's moved to Elderslie,

Renfrewshire Renfrewshire () (; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. Renfrewshire is located in the west central Lowlands. It borders East Renfrewshire, Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire and West Dunbartonshire, and lies on the southern ba ...

, where Arthur Stoddard went on to establish carpet maker, Stoddard International. Frances was largely home schooled, though attended a

finishing school A finishing school focuses on teaching young women social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society. The name reflects the fact that it follows ordinary school and is intended to complete a young woman's ...

in London in 1861. She first engaged with the women's rights campaign while visiting relatives in the USA in 1867-8, where she and her sister met

Harriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Elisabeth Beecher Stowe (; June 14, 1811 – July 1, 1896) was an American author and Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist. She came from the religious Beecher family and wrote the popular novel ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (185 ...

. In 1872, Frances married David Murray, a prominent Glasgow lawyer. This had followed a lengthy courting period, attributed in large part to the value she placed on her own independence. In a letter to her mother in 1867, she wrote:

"Indeed, here as at home, I find a woman better not have too decided views on any matter, literature, historical, social, reform or politics, if she wishes to be a man's favourite. It is hard that brains in a woman except to give herself satisfaction, are a hindrance not an asset. Well, Mamma dear, I would rather have the brains than live on empty compliments the plaything of any man."

The couple moved to

Cardross Cardross () is a large village with a population of 2,194 (2011) in Scotland, on the north side of the Firth of Clyde, situated halfway between Dumbarton and Helensburgh. Cardross is in the historic geographical county of Dunbartonshire but th ...

shortly afterwards and had three daughters: Sylvia Winthrop Murray (19 August 1875 – 17 January 1955); Eunice Guthrie Murray (21 January 1878 – 26 March 1960) and Dorothy; and one son, Anthony Stoddard Murray (16 March 1880 – 23 March 1918).

Career

Murray expressed her desire to enter employment at an early age but was restricted from doing so because of her gender. In her own words:

"In my young days the aim of a mother was to make her daughter pretty and attractive and sufficiently accomplished to let her marry well. Few other careers presented themselves to women."

Despite this, Murray did manage to deliver public lectures on Scottish music and organise concerts in her hometown of Cardross. She also authored books in variety genres, including in travel and poetry.

Campaign for women's education

Frances and David Murray shared an interest in various aspects of women's rights and were supporters of the Glasgow Association for the Higher Education of Women. Frances attended many lectures at the

University of Glasgow The University of Glasgow (abbreviated as ''Glas.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals; ) is a Public university, public research university in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded by papal bull in , it is the List of oldest universities in continuous ...

and also delivered some on Scottish song and tradition. She wrote about how far women's rights had improved in her lifetime in terms of education:

"The Victorian Era burst through this bondage, and now we have schools and colleges for girls and women".

Political involvement

Murray is quoted in her daughter's memoir as saying:

"Before I die I look forward to the fulfilment of sex equality".

She and both her daughters were members of the

Women's Freedom League The Women's Freedom League was an organisation in the United Kingdom from 1907 to 1961 which campaigned for women's suffrage, pacifism and sexual equality. It was founded by former members of the Women's Social and Political Union after the Pa ...

. In 1910, Murray attended a suffrage demonstration in Edinburgh where she led one of the processions. She also encouraged her daughters to take up opportunities she was denied as a young woman. In a letter to Eunice, she wrote:

"Go ahead my daughter - you possess on both sides fighting blood."

Death

Murray died in Cardross on 3 April 1919 - but she had managed to vote in the 1918 UK election, the first time women could do so.

References