James Stansfeld Memorial Trust

The James Stansfeld Memorial Trust was established in 1896. Its creation was the result of a 'women's testimonial' raised on his retirement from parliament the previous year. The amount raised was used to promote his aim of equality of the sexes through a number of methods. Firstly, there was the appointment of a scrutineer to observe Parliament's actions on the question of women's suffrage and report to the trustees. Secondly, they held conferences, notably on the subject of solicitation and the law in 1917. Finally, after the First World War, a series of three memorial lectures on the position of women were held at University College, London. A book on Stansfeld was commissioned by the trust in 1928 and published in 1932 with the title James Stansfeld, A Victorian Champion of Sex Equality (by JL and Barbara Hammond). Two years later, the Trust was wound up and the remaining funds distributed between the Association for Moral and Social Hygiene and the Josephine Butler Memorial Home.

Sir James Stansfeld (1820-1898), was born in Halifax, on 5 Mar 1820, the only son of James Stansfeld (1792-1872) and his wife, Emma (bap. 1793, d. 1851). His father was a solicitor who was also involved with with radical protestant dissent. James followed in his father's footsteps, he was involved with the Chartists in 1839. He then studied at University College, London and graduated in law in 1844. Whilst in London he became friends with William Ashurst, a radical solicitor, as well as other Unitarians. In 1844 he married Caroline Ashurst, daughter of feminist and reformer William Ashurst. Their only son was born in 1852. Stansfeld was called to the Bar at Inner Temple, 1849, but for financial reasons became a brewer in 1850. In 1852 together with his brother-in-law Sidney Hawkes he established the Swan Brewery, Fulham. Stansfeld became Liberal MP for Halifax 1859-1895, despite his brewing background causing trouble with Temperance voters. In 1863 he was appointed Junior Lord of the Admiralty and was Cabinet Minister 1871-1874. He was later appointed President of the Poor Law Board Mar 1871-Aug 1871; and when it merged with Local Government Board, he became President of that, until 1874. In 1872 he made the first appointment of a woman to public post; Mrs Nassau Senior as Inspector of Workhouses despite strong opposition. After Gladstone's government's defeat in 1874 Stansfeld became a key supporter of Josephine Butlers work for the Repeal of the Contagious diseases act. He became Vice-President of the Ladies National Association for the Repeal of the Contagious Diseases Acts from 1874. He first spoke on Repeal in the House of Commons, 23 Jun 1875 (2nd reading of Harcourt Johnstone's Repeal Bill). Stansfeld died on 17 February 1898 at his home at Castle Hill, Rotherfield, Sussex.