Annie Leigh Browne 1851 – 1936
Educationalist, suffragist.
14 March 1851 – 8 March 1936
Education
Educated by tutors and governesses then, in 1868, at Queen’s College.
Some Key Achievements and Interests
Helped Octavia Hill at Toynbee Hall.
1874 Involved in the founding of the Women’s Protective and Provident League founded by Emma Paterson which became the Women’s Trade Union League in 1890.
1876 Co-founded with Emma Paterson the Women’s Printing Society which trained women in the printing trade through an apprenticeship programme.
1880 Campaigned for women’s education with Mary Stewart Kilgour.
Co-founded College Hall, with her sister Thomasine Mary Browne and Mary Kilgour, providing funding, in 1 Byng Place which opened in 1882 later moving to Malet Street. It was granted incorporation in 1886. The residence catered for women students at UCL or the London School of Medicine for Women and aimed to provide a community experience. Initially, the Hall only had 10 students but numbers grew. Students applying for a place did not need to provide character references. A governing committee, on which students were represented, had to authorise the dismissing of any student.*
1888 Provided funding and acted as honorary secretary for Society for Promoting the Return of Women as County Councillors formed by twelve women aiming to get women elected to local government. Initially, they had some success as the Local Government Act 1888 did not specifically exclude women and Jane Cobden and Lady Margaret Sandhurst were elected to the London County Council. However, their election was overturned following a court case brought on the interpretation of the Act. In 1893 the Society changed its name to the Women’s Local Government Society broadening the scope of its remit to encourage women to enter politics more generally.
1898 On the executive committee of the Union of Practical Suffragists’ executive committee and a member of the Central Society for Women’s Suffrage (and its successor, the London Society for Women’s Suffrage). She campaigned for better opportunities for women, especially in education but did not support militant tactics to achieve this.
1913 Vice-president of the Free Church League for Women’s Suffrage.
Issues
Studies at Queen’s College cut short as she was needed at home.
Suffered from poor health.
College Hall not initially recognised by the University of London.
Connection to Bloomsbury
Female networks
Amelia Charles, Caroline Biggs, Eleanor Grove, Ellen McKee, Emma Cons, Emma Paterson, Emma Knox Maitland, Eva McLaren, Frances Power Cobbe, Jeannette Wilkinson, Louisa Temple Mallett, Lucy Wilson, Mary Stewart Kilgour, Mary Thomasina Browne, Millicent Garrett Fawcett, Octavia Hill, Rosa Morrison,
Further Reading
Listen to an interview with Amara Thornton on the founding of College Hall and Chenies Street Residence: College Hall and Chenies Street Chambers – Pascal Theatre Company (pascal-theatre.com)
Browne, Miss Annie Leigh | Devon History Society – see here particularly for more relating to 20th century and outside London.
Annie Leigh Browne – Wikipedia
Re College Hall: UCL Bloomsbury Project