Modern women find it hard to imagine their lives without quality education, work, leisure, political activity, and freedom of expression. Women in the 21st century can “stop a galloping horse and enter a burning building.” There is hardly a field in today’s society where women have not made their mark. However, in the past century, feminists, suffragettes, and activists had to fight for their rights. Today, we will discuss the biography of British suffragette and trade unionist Leonora Cohen, who was also one of the first women magistrates. Leonora was born in Leeds, so you can learn more about her life and work on the leedska.com website.
What is Known About Leonora Cohen
Leonora was born in 1873 in the city of Leeds. Leonora’s father was a sculptor, but he died when she was five years old. She was the eldest of three children in the family. Her mother worked hard as a seamstress to support the children. In 1891, our compatriot became a vegetarian.
Our compatriot met Henry Cohen, who worked as a jeweller’s assistant in central Leeds. He was the son of Jewish immigrants from Warsaw. Henry and Leonora got married. Unfortunately, the couple’s first child died in its first year of life. In 1902, the couple had a son named Reginald.
Her Mother Motivated Leonora to Become a Suffragette
As mentioned earlier, Leonora’s mother worked hard to provide for her three children. This was a decisive factor in our compatriot’s life. Cohen realised that her mother had limited rights. The mother of three had to overcome enormous challenges in her life simply because she was a woman. Consequently, Leonora Cohen decided to fight for women’s rights.
Initially, Cohen organised protests against the government. In 1909, she joined the Leeds branch of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). Three years later, our compatriot was arrested and held in prison for seven days. This happened because Leonora threw a stone through the window of a government building during a protest. As a result, she defended herself in court, was found guilty, but was released from custody. It is worth noting that this was not the only arrest in the woman’s life.
It should be noted that her family supported the suffragette’s position, but her friends did not. Cohen received hateful and abusive letters from her so-called “friends.” Her son also faced bullying at school.
In 1913, the Cohens moved to Harrogate. In their new city, the couple opened a vegetarian boarding house. They provided shelter to suffragettes who were fleeing from the police. For her work, our compatriot was awarded the “For Valour” medal by the WSPU.
Career Development
Leonora Cohen became an increasingly prominent figure in society. Cohen became the district organiser of the Leeds National Union of General and Municipal Workers and organised workers for a strike.
In 1923, our compatriot became the first female president of the Yorkshire Federation of Trades Councils. A year later, Cohen was appointed as a magistrate. It is worth noting that our compatriot was one of the first women appointed to this position. In 1928, the woman was awarded the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her social activities.
It should be added that Leonora Cohen lived to the age of 105, making her a witness to the second wave of feminism in the 1970s. In 1974, our compatriot appeared on the cover of Radio Times to promote the series Shoulder to Shoulder, which depicted the history of the women’s suffrage movement.
An interesting fact analysed by researchers: Cohen’s vegetarianism was linked to feminism. Vegetarianism among suffragettes was seen as a way for women to spend less time in the kitchen. Less time in the kitchen meant more time for leisure, hobbies, education, and suffragette activities.
In 1978, at the age of 105, Leonora Cohen passed away. She spent her final years in a vegetarian care home for the elderly.
On Suffragism and Suffragettes
Suffragism is the struggle for women’s voting rights and against discrimination in political and economic spheres. Suffragism emerged in England at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. It was the precursor to the development of feminism worldwide.
Suffragettes fought for women’s rights, including voting, holding office, managing their own income and property, the right to work, and custody of their children.
The history of the suffragette movement began at the end of the 19th century. During this period, communities advocating for the extension of voting rights to women began to emerge. Suffragettes campaigned, protested, and even went on hunger strikes to make their voices heard and secure the right to vote for women. Notably, the first women to gain the right to vote were 21-year-old women in New Zealand. This occurred in 1893. However, women in New Zealand were not allowed to run for office during elections.
In 1903, Emmeline Pankhurst founded the Women’s Social and Political Union to organise the suffragette movement. Just three years later, women in Finland gained full voting rights, meaning they could vote and be elected. Gradually, women in other European countries began to gain voting rights. In 1928, women in Great Britain were granted such rights.
This is the biography of a renowned British suffragette and our compatriot. We hope you found this material informative and drew the appropriate conclusions.