Philippa Strachey,

CBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(19 April 1872 – 23 August 1968) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

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 ...

. She organised major suffrage demonstrations and went on to lead the

Fawcett Society The Fawcett Society is a membership charity in the United Kingdom which campaigns for women's rights. The organisation dates back to 1866, when Millicent Garrett Fawcett dedicated her life to the peaceful campaign for women's suffrage. From 190 ...

Life

Pippa was born in

Knightsbridge Knightsbridge is a residential and retail district in central London, south of Hyde Park, London, Hyde Park. It is identified in the London Plan as one of two international retail centres in London, alongside the West End of London, West End. ...

as the fifth child of the large Strachey family born to Sir

Richard Strachey Sir Richard Strachey (24 July 1817 – 12 February 1908) was a British soldier and Indian administrator, the third son of Edward Strachey and grandson of Sir Henry Strachey, 1st Baronet. Early life He was born on 24 July 1817, at Sutton ...

colonial administrator Colonialism is the control of another territory, natural resources and people by a foreign group. Colonizers control the political and tribal power of the colonised territory. While frequently an Imperialism, imperialist project, colonialism c ...

and Jane Maria Strachey, writer and

. She was the sister of Pernel, Lytton and

Oliver Oliver may refer to: Arts, entertainment and literature Books * ''Oliver the Western Engine'', volume 24 in ''The Railway Series'' by Rev. W. Awdry * ''Oliver Twist'', a novel by Charles Dickens Fictional characters * Ariadne Oliver ...

, among others. She was educated partly at home, and partly in Fontainebleau and at

Allenswood Boarding Academy Allenswood Boarding Academy (also known as Allenswood Academy or Allenswood School) was an exclusive girls' boarding school founded in Wimbledon, London, by Marie Souvestre in 1883 and operated until the early 1950s, when it was demolished and r ...

Wimbledon Wimbledon most often refers to: * Wimbledon, London, a district of southwest London * Wimbledon Championships, the oldest tennis tournament in the world and one of the four Grand Slam championships Wimbledon may also refer to: Places London * W ...

. On leaving school, she largely spent her time on leisure activities, particularly playing the violin. In 1900, Strachey visited India, and the experience of independence made her decide to seek her own career. She became a teacher at Allenswood for a few years, but then met the feminist

Emily Davies Sarah Emily Davies (22 April 1830 – 13 July 1921) was an English feminist who founded Girton College, Cambridge. She campaigned as a suffragist and for women's rights to university education. In her early life, she attended meetings of the ...

, who encouraged her to join 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 ...

(NUWSS). Strachey's mother, Jane, was a friend of

Millicent Fawcett Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett (; 11 June 1847 – 5 August 1929) was an English political activist and writer. She campaigned for Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, women's suffrage by Law reform, legal change and in 1897–1919 led Brita ...

and was already active in the NUWSS, so it was relatively easy for Pippa to become a committee member, then in 1907 to become secretary of the organisation. One of her first tasks was the organisation of the " Mud March"; this was deemed so successful, that she thereafter planned all the group's demonstrations. Pippa's and her sister-in-law,

Ray Strachey Ray Strachey (born Rachel Pearsall Conn Costelloe; 4 June 188716 July 1940) was a British feminist politician, artist and writer. Early life Her father was Irish barrister Benjamin "Frank" Conn Costelloe, and her mother was art historian Mary ...

were both involved in the suffrage movement. Strachey supported

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, but was unable to work in field hospitals due to her health. Instead, she worked with Ray Strachey, with a particular focus on finding women good work opportunities. As a result, they founded the Women's Service Bureau, with Pippa as its unpaid secretary. She continued after the war as it became the London Society for Women's Service and, eventually, the

. Under her leadership, the organisation created a substantial library and purchased a building to use as a social club and headquarters. StracheyFamily

Strachey remained close to her family. She nursed her mother in the 1920s, and in 1932 nursed her brother Lytton through his final illness. She was made a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

in 1951, and finally retired that year as secretary of the Fawcett Society. She remained close to women's activism, being on the first page of 80,000 signatories of the 'Equal Pay in the public services' petition presented on behalf of the Equal Pay Campaign Committee to Parliament on 9 March 1954. She spent her remaining years working through family papers. She never married and died on 23 August 1968 in London. Pippa’s niece, Ursula Margaret Wentzel, nee Strachey (Ursula’s Father, Ralph, was Pippa’s brother) was interviewed about Pippa (and Ray) in March 1977 by the historian, Brian Harrison, as part of his Suffrage Interviews project, titled ''Oral evidence on the suffragette and suffragist movements: the Brian Harrison interviews.'' Wentzel talked about Pippa’s speaking style, ability to mix with all social classes, and her old age.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Strachey, Philippa 1872 births 1968 deaths British suffragists People from Knightsbridge Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Pippa