Aline Mackinnon (30 October 1899 – 1 January 1970) was a British radical feminist,

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

politician and civil servant.

Early life and education

Mackinnon was born in

Hadley Wood Hadley Wood is an affluent suburb in the north of Greater London, close to the border with Hertfordshire. It appears to be a stand-alone village surrounded by Green Belt land, however, under the Local Government Act 1972 it is part of the ...

, Middlesex, the third of four children born to Sir Percy Graham MacKinnon and Mabel Lockett. She was educated at

Newnham College, Cambridge Newnham College is a women's constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college was founded in 1871 by a group organising Lectures for Ladies, members of which included philosopher Henry Sidgwick and suffragist campaigner Millicen ...

and the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 15 ...

, where she graduated with a

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Th ...

Political career

In 1921 she attended the first Liberal Summer School. She was the Honorary Parliamentary Secretary to the

Women's Liberal Federation The Women's Liberal Federation was an organisation that was part of the Liberal Party in the United Kingdom. History The Women's Liberal Federation (WLF) was formed on the initiative of Sophia Fry, who in 1886 called a meeting at her house of fi ...

. She was selected as Liberal candidate for

Holderness Holderness is an area of the East Riding of Yorkshire, on the north-east coast of England. An area of rich agricultural land, Holderness was marshland until it was drained in the Middle Ages. Topographically, Holderness has more in common wit ...

and came second; She was Honorary Secretary of the Liberal Summer School. She fought Holderness again in 1935, slightly reducing the Conservative majority; She was given another opportunity to enter Parliament at the Holderness by-election on 15 February 1939. Despite the presence of a Labour candidate, she had some public support from prominent Labour people who supported the notion of a

Popular Front A popular front is "any coalition of working-class and middle-class parties", including liberal and social democratic ones, "united for the defense of democratic forms" against "a presumed Fascist assault". More generally, it is "a coalition ...

. She had offered to withdraw if the Labour candidate withdrew in favour of an

Independent Progressive Independent progressive is a description in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, to denote a political progressive, who lacks a formal affiliation to a party. In the United Kingdom In the late 19th century/early 20th century, the Progressive Party ...

candidate acceptable to both parties. Deprived by the outbreak of war of another attempt to be elected at Holderness, she retired from elective politics but continued to be active in the national party as a member of the Liberal Party Council, and for the Women's Liberal Federation, serving as Vice-President. She was a civil servant from 1941 to 1947. Her Women's Liberal colleague

Frances Josephy Frances Louise Josephy (February 1900 – 1985) was a British Liberal politician, journalist and lecturer. Background She was born in Broughty Ferry, Forfarshire. She was educated at Seymour Lodge School, Dundee, before going on to St. Andrew ...

described her as "very knowledgeable and a brilliant speaker with a pretty wit". A keen skier and mountaineer, she died while on vacation in

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

, aged 70.

References

External links

Portrait at the National Portrait Gallery
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mackinnon, Aline 1899 births 1970 deaths People from Hadley Wood Alumni of Newnham College, Cambridge Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Liberal Party (UK) parliamentary candidates