Susanna Meredith (née Lloyd; 1823–1901) was a 19th-century Irish-born

prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, or remand center, is a facility where Prisoner, people are Imprisonment, imprisoned under the authority of the State (polity), state ...

visitor and pioneer for the rehabilitation of female prisoners.

Biography

Susanna Lloyd was born in Ireland, her father was the governor of

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

County Gaol. As a child she learned

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and

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. At the age of 17, she married a doctor, but was widowed after seven years of marriage. 1847 - 1852 - She managed the Adelaide Industrial School in Cork, which became a central depot for the export of Irish Lace to England. 1856 ? She moved to England with her widowed mother. In 1858, Meredith began visiting

Millbank Prison Millbank Prison or Millbank Penitentiary was a prison in Millbank, Westminster, London, originally constructed as the National Penitentiary, and which for part of its history served as a holding facility for convicted prisoners before they were p ...

with the British Society. In 1860 she moved to

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with her mother and, concerned with employment opportunities for women, began editing ''Alexandra'' magazine. She visited female prisoners in

Brixton prison HM Prison Brixton is a Category C training establishment men's prison, located in Brixton area of the London Borough of Lambeth, in inner- South London. The prison is operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. Before 2012, it was used as a loca ...

and started a mission offering breakfasts, advice, and limited employment opportunities to newly released women. She reported her visits to the

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. Meredith's home at Nine Elms House, 6 Upper Belmont House, Wandsworth Road was known as The Mission to Women and was used by female prisoners leaving prison. Meredith became the Treasurer of the Female Prisoners' Aid Society. Meredith later turned her attention to the children of convicted women and in 1871 her first home for such children was opened in

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by Princess Mary. In 1877, she was told that she was no longer permitted to talk to women prisoners without a matron present. From then, she decided to stop visiting. In 1895 Meredith gave evidence before the Gladstone Committee on prisons.

Bibliography

* 1865: The Lacemakers: sketches of Irish Characters with Sound Accounts of the Effort to Establish Lacemaking in Ireland. Dedicated to Miss (Angela) Burdett Coutts,for her 'suggestions on the subject of providing industrial instruction for the female poor of Ireland. *1866: ''The Sixth Work; Or, The Charity of Moral Effort'' *1881: ''A Book about Criminals'' *1881: ''Saved Rahab! An Autobiography''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Meredith, Susanna 1823 births 1901 deaths Irish activists Irish women activists Activists from County Cork 19th-century Irish people