Anna Jessey Wade (2 December 1859 – 10 May 1952) was an English

suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...

and campaigner for

animal welfare Animal welfare is the quality of life and overall well-being of animals. Formal standards of animal welfare vary between contexts, but are debated mostly by animal welfare groups, legislators, and academics. Animal welfare science uses measures ...

. She founded the Cats Protection League, now known as Cats Protection, and was involved with several other animal welfare organisations. In addition to her activism, Wade contributed to the creation of the feminist gender studies journal ''

Urania Urania ( ; ; modern Greek shortened name ''Ránia''; meaning "heavenly" or "of heaven") was, in Greek mythology, the muse of astronomy and astrology. Urania is the goddess of astronomy and stars, her attributes being the globe and compass. T ...

'', serving as its editor.

Biography

Early life

Anna Jessey Wade was born on 2 December 1859, in

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

. Her parents were John and Anna Wade.

Activism

Wade had a strong commitment to

and became closely associated with fellow advocate Ernest Bell, serving as his personal secretary until his death in 1933. Bell was the editor of the ''

Animals' Friend The Animals' Friend Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was an animal welfare organisation founded in 1832 by Lewis Gompertz and T. Forster. Along with the RSPCA, it was a pioneering organisation advocating for animal welfare in the ...

'' and Wade became the editor of its sister publication for children, ''Little Animals' Friend'', after

Edith Carrington Edith Carrington (1853 – 23 January 1929) was an English activist and writer. She was an advocate for animal welfare and vegetarianism. Carrington was for sometime an artist and later wrote several animal stories for children. She was a vocal ...

. Wade authored several pamphlets for the society's A. F. pamphlet series, including ''Cruelties in Dress'', ''Mother Love in the Animal World'', ''Fur Coats, Hats and the Woman'', ''Little Father Christmas'', and ''Winter Cruelties''. From 1906 to 1919, Wade served as the Honorary Secretary of the Children's Department for the

Humanitarian League The Humanitarian League was a British radical advocacy group formed by Henry S. Salt and others to promote the principle that it is wrong to inflict avoidable suffering on any sentient being. It was based in London and operated between 1891 ...

, an organisation dedicated to promoting compassionate treatment towards both humans and animals. She was also a member 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 ...

and as part of a

protest, refusing to complete the

1911 United Kingdom Census The United Kingdom Census 1911 of 2 April 1911 was the 12th nationwide census conducted in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The total population of the United Kingdom was approximately 45,221,000, with 36,070,000 recorded in England ...

. In 1916, she co-founded ''

'', a journal that was part of a broader campaign to eliminate all distinctions based on gender, advocating for a society free from gender-based prejudices. In 1927, Wade organised a meeting at

Caxton Hall Caxton Hall is a building on the corner of Caxton Street and Palmer Street, in Westminster, London, England. It is a Grade II listed building primarily noted for its historical associations. It hosted many mainstream and fringe political and a ...

, London, which resulted in the establishment of the Cats Protection League. She subsequently became the editor of the league's journal, ''The Cats' Mews-Sheet''. In 1932, she helped establish the

National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports The National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports (NSACS) was a British animal welfare organisation that campaigned against hunting and other blood sports. It was formed in 1932 as a splinter organisation of the League for the Prohibition ...

with Ernest Bell and others. Wade was also involved with the

, the Pit Ponies' Protection Society, and the Performing and Captive Animals' Defence League. In 1935, Wade delivered a speech for the Humane Education Society in Manchester.

Personal life and death

In 1945, it was reported that Wade was in bad health from the after effects of a serious accident. She also had an operation for

cataracts A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of the eye that leads to a decrease in vision of the eye. Cataracts often develop slowly and can affect one or both eyes. Symptoms may include faded colours, blurry or double vision, halos around ligh ...

. Wade retired from her role as editor of ''The Little Animals' Friend'' in 1948, after 50 years. She died at her home at

Abbey Road ''Abbey Road'' is the eleventh studio album by the English rock band the Beatles, released on 26 September 1969, by Apple Records. It is the last album the group recorded, although '' Let It Be'' (1970) was the last album completed before th ...

mansions on 10 May 1952, at the age of 92.

Contributions to animal organisations

Wade founded and made significant contributions to a number of animal advocacy organisations: * Humanitarian League (Honorary Secretary of the Children's Department from 1906 until 1919) * Pit Ponies' Protection Society (active member) * National Society for the Abolition of Cruel Sports (co-founder with Ernest Bell and others) * Cats Protection League (now known as Cats Protection; founder) * Humane Education Society (Vice-President of the Council for Protection of Animals)

Publications

Pamphlets

* ''Cruelties in Dress'' (London:

Animals' Friend Society The Animals' Friend Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was an animal welfare organisation founded in 1832 by Lewis Gompertz and T. Forster. Along with the RSPCA, it was a pioneering organisation advocating for animal welfare in the ...

, 1912) * ''Mother Love in the Animal World'' (London: Animals' Friend Society) * ''Fur Coats'' (London: Animals' Friend Society) * ''Hats and the Woman'' (London: Animals' Friend Society) * ''Little Father Christmas'' (London: Animals' Friend Society) * ''Winter Cruelties'' (London: Animals' Friend Society) *
We & the Animals Are Kin
' (National Council for Animals' Welfare)

Books

* ''The Animals' Friend Cat Book'' (London: G. Bell and Sons, 1917)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wade, Jessey 1859 births 1952 deaths 19th-century English women writers 19th-century English writers 20th-century English women writers 20th-century English writers Activists from London English animal welfare workers British charity and campaign group workers English editors English feminist writers English pamphleteers English suffragettes English vegetarianism activists Organization founders People from Middlesex (before 1889) People from Westminster Publication founders Women of the Victorian era Women's Freedom League Writers from Westminster English women activists Women founders English founders