Person    | Female  Born 1/10/1847  Died 20/9/1933

Annie Besant

Theosophist, women's rights activist, writer and orator and supporter of Irish and Indian self rule. Born Annie Wood at 2 Fish Street Hill. Married, aged 19, Frank Besant (brother to Sir Walter) but they separated for religious differences. Worked with Charles Bradlaugh of the National Secular Society and in 1877 published a pamphlet on contraception. Bradlaugh and Besant were arrested, conducted their own defence and got off on a technicality. The scandal had little effect on Bradlaugh's future political career but Besant was deemed unfit to care for her 2 children and Besant, her husband, gained permanent custody. We've read that Bradlaugh and Besant were living together so that may have been at the bottom of the decision.

Became interested in India and theosophy and in 1907 become the President of the Theosophical Society. From about 1893 she lived half each year in India, where she died.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Annie Besant

Commemorated ati

Annie Besant - E3

This plaque was lost sometime July 2021 - August 2022. 

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Annie Besant - SE19

Annie Besant, 1847 - 1933, social reformer, lived here in 1874. London County...

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Hanbury Hall - blue oval plaque

This plaque has a shortened version of the text on the old white plaque.

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Hanbury Hall - white plaque - removed

Christ Church Hall Built in 1719 as a French Hugeonot {sic} church it stood b...

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Other Subjects

Women's Liberal Association

Women's Liberal Association

Women's suffrage movement. It seems that many of these groups merged to form the Liberal Women's Foundation in 1887.

Group, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Endell Street Military Hospital

Endell Street Military Hospital

Established in the disused St Giles workhouse buildings during WW1 under the command of Dr Flora Murray & Dr Louisa Garrett Anderson (both suffragettes), this 573-bed hospital is the only Briti...

Building, Gender Issues, Medicine

1 memorial
Edith Garrud

Edith Garrud

Suffragette and martial arts instructor. Born Edith Margaret Williams in Bath. She married William Garrud, a physical culture instructor and in 1899 they were introduced to the art of jiu-jitsu. In...

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration, Sport / Games

2 memorials
Mary Gawthorpe

Mary Gawthorpe

Mary Eleanor Gawthorpe was a suffragette, socialist, trade unionist and editor. Women’s Labour League then Women's Social and Political Union. Co-founder of radical newspaper The Freewoman. She was...

Person, Gender Issues, Journalism / Publishing, USA

1 memorial
Noël Barclay

Noël Barclay

Central President of the Mothers' Union in 1925. We found reference to a publication probably authored by her: Barclay, E. Noel, Marriage and Divorce (1936).

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration

1 memorial