Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1908-1996 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
3 A boxes (2 boxes uncatalogued)
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
See the biography for Lidiard; Victoria Simmonds (1889-1992); suffragette
Victoria Lidiard (1889-1992) was born Victoria Simmons in Bristol in Dec 1889, one of 12 siblings. She became a vegetarian at the age of ten, and remained interested in animal rights for all of her life. She left school when she was fourteen, later taking evening classes in shorthand and bookkeeping. She, her sisters and her mother became member of the Women's Social & Political Union in Bristol in 1907 and rapidly took part in militant activity such as disrupting political meetings and selling 'Votes for Women' in the streets. In Mar 1912, she took part in a window-smashing raid on Oxford Street and broke a window in the War Office. She was arrested, along with 200 other suffragettes, and sentenced to two months hard labour in Holloway Prison. During the First World War she ran a guesthouse in Kensington for professional women and worked at Battersea Power Station making anti-aircraft shells at weekends. In 1918 she married Major Alexander Lidiard MC of the First Manchester Rifles and a member of the Men's Political Union for Women's Enfranchisement. After the war the couple both trained as opticians and would work together as consultants at the London Refraction Hospital at Elephant and Castle where, in 1927, she became the first female refractionist. They subsequently took practices in Maidenhead and High Wycombe. She was a member of the National Council of Women for most of her working life and became involved with the Movement for the Ordination of Women during the last ten years of her life. She published a book, Christianity, Faith, Love and Healing at the age of 99 and canvassed MPs on improvement in the conditions in the transport of live animals. She died in Oct 1992, aged 102.
Repository
Archival history
GB 106 7VLI 1908-1996 fonds 3 A boxes (2 boxes uncatalogued) Lidiard , Victoria Simmonds , 1889-1992 , suffragette
See the biography for Lidiard; Victoria Simmonds (1889-1992); suffragette
Victoria Lidiard (1889-1992) was born Victoria Simmons in Bristol in Dec 1889, one of 12 siblings. She became a vegetarian at the age of ten, and remained interested in animal rights for all of her life. She left school when she was fourteen, later taking evening classes in shorthand and bookkeeping. She, her sisters and her mother became member of the Women's Social & Political Union in Bristol in 1907 and rapidly took part in militant activity such as disrupting political meetings and selling 'Votes for Women' in the streets. In Mar 1912, she took part in a window-smashing raid on Oxford Street and broke a window in the War Office. She was arrested, along with 200 other suffragettes, and sentenced to two months hard labour in Holloway Prison. During the First World War she ran a guesthouse in Kensington for professional women and worked at Battersea Power Station making anti-aircraft shells at weekends. In 1918 she married Major Alexander Lidiard MC of the First Manchester Rifles and a member of the Men's Political Union for Women's Enfranchisement. After the war the couple both trained as opticians and would work together as consultants at the London Refraction Hospital at Elephant and Castle where, in 1927, she became the first female refractionist. They subsequently took practices in Maidenhead and High Wycombe. She was a member of the National Council of Women for most of her working life and became involved with the Movement for the Ordination of Women during the last ten years of her life. She published a book, Christianity, Faith, Love and Healing at the age of 99 and canvassed MPs on improvement in the conditions in the transport of live animals. She died in Oct 1992, aged 102.
The papers were donated to the Library in four tranches in 1987, 1996 1998/20 and 2003. The 1987 accession was donated by Victoria Lidiard when she was 98 years old. Subsequent accessions were donated to The Fawcett Library by Mrs Marjorie Seelig.
The archive consists of memorabilia of suffrage activities including press cuttings, objects and hunger-strike medal; publications and manuscript material on the ordination of women and animal protection; correspondence; correspondence from Hove Borough Council relating to a commemorative plaque and photographs.
This collection is partially available for research. The catalogued portion of the collection is available for research, uncatalogued material remains unavailable. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.
English
Fawcett Library Catalogue (partial).
The Women's Library holds the records of a number of militant, Women's Social and Political Union members, including Emily Wilding Davison (7EWD) and Louisa Garrett Anderson (7LGA). The records of the Women's Social & Political Union are held at The Museum of London. The Women's Library Printed Collections also holds a number of publications by the Women's Social & Political Union.
Finding aid created by export from CALM v7.2.14 Archives Hub EAD2002. Edited for AIM25 by Sarah Drewery.
In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
07/03/2008 Religions Women Ancient religions Christianity Protestantism Zoology Animal welfare Animal rights Religious activities Religious practice Ordination Ordination of women Rights of special groups Womens rights Womens status Internal politics Electoral systems Womens suffrage Lidiard , Victoria , 1889-1992 , nee Simmons , suffragette Anglican Society for the Welfare of Animals Farm and Food Society Movement for the Ordination of Women National Council of Women of Great Britain Women's Social and Political Union Hove Borough Council Sex Sex distribution
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The papers were donated to the Library in four tranches in 1987, 1996 1998/20 and 2003. The 1987 accession was donated by Victoria Lidiard when she was 98 years old. Subsequent accessions were donated to The Fawcett Library by Mrs Marjorie Seelig.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The archive consists of memorabilia of suffrage activities including press cuttings, objects and hunger-strike medal; publications and manuscript material on the ordination of women and animal protection; correspondence; correspondence from Hove Borough Council relating to a commemorative plaque and photographs.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
This collection is partially available for research. The catalogued portion of the collection is available for research, uncatalogued material remains unavailable. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
The Women's Library holds the records of a number of militant, Women's Social and Political Union members, including Emily Wilding Davison (7EWD) and Louisa Garrett Anderson (7LGA). The records of the Women's Social & Political Union are held at The Museum of London. The Women's Library Printed Collections also holds a number of publications by the Women's Social & Political Union.
Finding aids
Fawcett Library Catalogue (partial).
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Publication note
Notes area
Note
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Religions
- Sex distribution » Sex » Women
- Religions » Ancient religions
- Religions » Ancient religions » Christianity
- Religions » Ancient religions » Christianity » Protestantism
- Zoology
- Environmental management » Environmental legislation » Animal rights
- Religious activities
- Religious activities » Religious practice
- Rights of special groups
- Rights of special groups » Womens rights
- Rights of special groups » Womens rights » Womens status
- Internal politics
- Internal politics » Electoral systems
- Internal politics » Electoral systems » Womens suffrage
- Sex distribution » Sex
- Sex distribution
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English