Cosgrove's Extraordinary Women

We acknowledge the thousands of women who have lived in Cosgrove throughout history. Most of them are unrecorded or their records have been lost over hundreds of years. Most of them were too busy to be well known. Some were poorly treated by their own relatives.

Working class women cooked, cleaned, raised children, worked at casual, low paid jobs, nursed the sick, balanced the family budget and supported their husbands.

Middle class women were often the drivers of social change in the village, campaigning for and organising better conditions for all.

Wealthy women often had much more comfortable lives but worked hard and with generosity to help the village of Cosgrove. Not all villages have been so fortunate.

Only a few are mentioned here. We owe thanks to them all.


The First Women Voters in Cosgrove and Old Stratford

It wasn’t until 1919 that women first had the chance to vote in the parish of Cosgrove.

312 people registered to vote that year, which included people living on the east side of the Watling Street in Old Stratford.

Women became entitled to vote in 1919 but only if they were "occupiers" of a property - otherwise they had to have a husband who was an occupier. For instance, Mrs Isabella Atkinson of The Priory had a vote but her single daughters did not get theirs for another three years.

Class was not an issue - Margaret, Marchioness of Ely, at Cosgrove Hall had a vote equal to Sarah Key, renting her Council Cottage from the Parish.
Women became entitled to vote in 1919 but only if they were "occupiers" of a property - otherwise they had to have a husband who was an occupier.
For instance, Mrs Isabella Atkinson of The Priory had a vote but her single daughters did not get theirs for another three years.
Class was not an issue - Margaret, Marchioness of Ely, at Cosgrove Hall had a vote equal to Sarah Key, renting her Council Cottage from the Parish.
   
          
76 Lady Voters in Cosgrove     48 Lady Voters in Old Stratford  
             
Mary Elizabeth ADKINS The Locks   Augusta Caroline ADAMS  
Ann ALLEN Near Old School   Frances Eliza ADAMS  
Ethel Elizabeth ATKINS Glebe Farm House   Emily  BEAL  
Isabella  ATKINSON The Priory   Caroline Jane BIRD  
Ann  BAKER The Green   Margaret Eleanor  BIRD  
Annie Elizabeth  BARBY Near Aqueduct   Lily Elizabeth  BLACKBURN  
Ellen  BARBY Yardley Road   Maria Turner BULL  
Ellen  BAVINGTON Navigation Inn   Mary CHAPMAN 2, Willow Terrace
Annie Elizabeth  BEARMAN Near Aqueduct   Clarissa Celia CLARKE "Harcroft"
Ruth  BEESLEY New Buildings   Annie COWLEY Towcester Road
Elizabeth  BROWN Barge Inn   Harriett COX Cosgrove Road
Elizabeth BROWN New Buildings   Elizabeth CROW 10, Willow Terrace
Frances BUSHELL New Buildings   Mary CURTIS Cosgrove Road
Sarah Ann BUTCHER Bridge Row   Emma Sarah Ann DICKENS Claremont House
Ann CASTLE The Green   Amy FRENCH 12, Willow Terrace
Rosetta CASTLE New Buildings   Mercy FROST Towcester Road
Sarah Ann CHILDS Adj Old School   Annie GOODMAN Wharf Lane
Jane CLARKE The Locks   Elizabeth GRACE 8, Willow Terrace
Mary CLARKE New Buildings   Kate GRACE 1, Willow Terrace
Louisa Agnes CUTLER Mill House   Eliza GREEN Towcester Road
Rose Mary DICKS The Smithy   Charlotte Jane HAMILTON Old Stratford
Florence Harriett EGLESFIELD Bridge Row   Ellen HOLMAN 9, Willow Terrace
Margaret A E ELY, Marchioness of The Hall   Hannah HOLTON 7, Willow Terrace
Lilian EVES Near Aqueduct   Eleanor HORNE Cosgrove Road
Mary Ann GARRATT School House   Amelia Jane HUMPHREYS  
Daisy GASCOYNE Adjoining Old School   Alice HUTTON Towcester Road
Ellen GEE Near Aqueduct   Mary Ann JONES Wharf House
May Jane GILES Adjoining Old School   Charlotte KIGHTLEY Cosgrove Road
Faith Monica GRANT-THOROLD The Cottage   Ada Louisa LEE Towcester Road
Selicia Hannah HALL Near Old School   Rosetta MANDEVILLE Cosgrove Road
Ethel    HERBERT New Buildings   Charlotte Jane MASON Towcester Road
Amy Maria HILLYER Council Cottages   Charlotte Mary MORRIS Cosgrove Road
Mary Ann HORN Near Aqueduct   Elizabeth MUNDY Towcester Road
Mary Jane HURST Near Aqueduct   Alice Mary RATCLIFFE Towcester Road
Elizabeth JELLEY Council Cottages   Ellen RATCLIFFE Towcester Road
Sarah JELLEY Old Brewery House   Lucy RATCLIFFE Furtho Cottage
Sarah Gutridge JELLEY In village   Rachel REYNOLDS Towcester Road
Alice   JOHNSON Isworth Farm   Mary Jane SIBTHORPE 4, Willow Terrace
Alice JOHNSON Near Aqueduct   Annie SLAYMAKER  
Ellen JOHNSON New Buildings   Charlotte SMITH 5, Willow Terrace
Fanny KEECH Near Aqueduct   Emma TOOMBS 3, Willow Terrace
Lily   KEECH "Barley Mow" Inn   Emily VEREY Furtho House
Elizabeth KEY New Buildings   Amelia WARD  
Sarah KEY Council Cottages   Edith Lucy WARE Towcester Road
Florence Mary KING Canal Bank   Ellen WARE Swan Inn
Caroline   KNIGHT Plough Inn   Mercy Elizabeth WEBSTER Towcester Road
Charlotte LAMBERT Blacksmith's Yard   Elvina Gertrude WHITE Cosgrove Road
Eliza LAMBERT Blacksmith's Yard   Edith WRIGHTON Towcester Road
Fanny LORD Lodge Cottage        
Rosa Fanny LORD Ivy Cottage        
Sarah LOVELL In Village        
Sarah Ann LOVESEY In village        
Elizabeth Ann MEAKINS New Buildings        
Polly MEAKINS "Cobbush"        
Rosetta MEAKINS Keeper's Cottage        
Sarah MOORE The Green        
Edith Emily NOBLE Bridge Row        
Mary NOBLE Canal Bank        
Virginia Augusta PENSON Yardley Road        
Jane PETTIFER Hill Cottage        
Mary RATCLIFFE Bridge Row        
Edith   REASON Corner Bridge Row        
Mary Ann Knowles ROWE In the Village        
Edith SAUNDERS Wharf Lane        
Sarah STEWART Near Aqueduct        
Clara SWAIN The Green        
Violet TEARLE   Longwood        
Emma TOOMBS The Green        
Sarah VALENTINE The Green        
Edith WILLIAMS Adjoining Old School        
Maria Anne WILLIAMS Adjoining Old School        
Harriett WILLISON Opposite Post Office        
Pamela Ann WILLISON Bridge Row        
Annie Eliza WILSON Apricot Cottage        
Angelina WISE Bridge Row        
Elizabeth WOOTTON Near Aqueduct