Hannah Sturge born Hannah Dickinson (30 December 1816 – 19 October 1896) was a British Quaker philanthropist. She and her husband Joseph Sturge were spoken about internationally as pre-eminent in both the abolition and peace movements

Life

Sturge was born in 1816 to Edgbaston Quakers. Her parents were Ann (born Darby) and Barnard Dickinson and they were leading Quakers. Her mother was from the iron founders of Coalbroodkdale. Her father was able to retire when she was a teenager to devote himself to being a Quaker and good works. She had a pious upbringing. She became the second wife of Joseph Sturge in 1846. He was over twenty years older than her and the brother of her sister's husband Charles Sturge. Her new home was at 64 Wheeley's Road in Edgbaston in Birmingham. She ran the large household and impressive visitors included Richard Cobden and

Harriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Elisabeth Beecher Stowe (; June 14, 1811 – July 1, 1896) was an American author and abolitionist. She came from the religious Beecher family and became best known for her novel ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (1852), which depicts the harsh ...

. To support Stowe's work, she organised a "Penny Offering" at the Birmingham Ladies’ Negro's Friend Society. The Penny Offering went on to be known nationally. Hannah's good works were limited by the society that she lived in. Six years before they married her husband organised the World Anti-Slavery Convention "for gentleman" in London. Women were only allowed inside under protest and none were allowed to speak. She was not as enthusiastic a Quaker as her parents but she was an active member of the Ladies' Temperance Association, the Free Produce Committee, a committee to improve the education of Jamaican girls, the Infirm and the Aged Women's Society. Joseph ''and'' Hannah Sturge were spoken about internationally as pre-eminent in both the abolition and peace movements. In 1852 her father died and left her a substantial bequest of £1,800. Later she was able to use this to rescue her husband and brother-in-law's partnership when it was in financial trouble. Sturge died in Birmingham in 1896.

Private life

She and her husband had five children - Joseph,

Sophia Sturge Sophia Sturge (1849–1936) was a British Quaker suffragist, social reformer and peace campaigner who carried out activities in opposition to World War I. Life Sturge was born in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England on 5 January 1849. She was the f ...

, Priscilla, Eliza, and Hannah. She became a widow in 1859 and she then brought up their children.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sturge, Hannah 1816 births 1896 deaths British Quakers 19th-century British philanthropists 19th-century women philanthropists