Jane "Jenny" Kenney (1884–1961) also known as Jennie, was a British

suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to members ...

and

Montessori The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...

teacher, who supported her sisters

Annie Kenney Ann "Annie" Kenney (13 September 1879 – 9 July 1953) was an English working-class suffragette and socialist feminist who became a leading figure in the Women's Social and Political Union. She co-founded its first branch in London with Minnie ...

and

Jessie Kenney Jessica "Jessie" Kenney (1887 – 1985) was an English suffragette who was jailed for assaulting the Prime Minister and Home Secretary in a protest to gain suffrage for women in the UK. Details of a bombing campaign to support their cause were ...

in the

Women's Social and Political Union The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was a women-only political movement and leading militant organisation campaigning for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom from 1903 to 1918. Known from 1906 as the suffragettes, its membership and ...

. She later became joint principal of an independent school in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

, USA.

Life and career

Jane Kenney was born in Lees,

Oldham Oldham is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, amid the Pennines and between the rivers Irk and Medlock, southeast of Rochdale and northeast of Manchester. It is the administrative centre of the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, wh ...

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, the eighth child of a family of twelve siblings (eleven of whom survived infancy) of Horatio Nelson Kenney (1849–1912) and Ann Wood (1852–1905) both cotton workers. Her father was from

Ashton-under-Lyne Ashton-under-Lyne is a market town in Tameside, Greater Manchester, England. The population was 45,198 at the 2011 census. Historically in Lancashire, it is on the north bank of the River Tame, in the foothills of the Pennines, east of Manche ...

whose parents were blacksmith's labourer, William and Agnes. Her mother's father was James Wood, a cotton mill worker. Her parents were married in April 1873 at Leesfield parish church, and are buried at Greenacres cemetery, Oldham. Although they lived in poverty, and were largely home educated due to working from a young age, both their parents encouraged them to read and debate. Kenney began working in the cotton mill as a card room hand, but later became a teacher as did two other girls. One brother became a businessman, and another brother Roland became the first editor of the Daily Herald, and later worked in the UK diplomatic service. Their mother died young at fifty-three, at their home at 71 Redgrave Street, Oldham. Kenney was a Montessori teacher, as was her older sister Caroline (Kitty). Jane taught in

Accrington Accrington is a town in the Hyndburn borough of Lancashire, England. It lies about east of Blackburn, west of Burnley, east of Preston, north of Manchester and is situated on the culverted River Hyndburn. Commonly abbreviated by locals to ...

, then went to

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

as a student with

Maria Montessori Maria Tecla Artemisia Montessori ( , ; August 31, 1870 – May 6, 1952) was an Italian physician and educator best known for the philosophy of education that bears her name, and her writing on scientific pedagogy. At an early age, Montessori e ...

1914, becoming Montessori 'demonstrator' in England.

Suffragette activism

Kenney joined the suffragettes, following leading activists, her sisters Annie and Jessie of the Women's Social and Political Union (

WSPU The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was a women-only political movement and leading militant organisation campaigning for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom from 1903 to 1918. Known from 1906 as the suffragettes, its membership and ...

)

Kenney offered refuge or rest for women released following imprisonment, hunger strike and force-feeding, under the

Cat and Mouse Act The Prisoners (Temporary Discharge for Ill Health) Act, commonly referred to as the Cat and Mouse Act, was an Act of Parliament passed in Britain under H. H. Asquith's Liberal government in 1913. Some members of the Women's Social and Political ...

, where she and her sister Caroline (Kitty) ran a Montessori school, at Tower Cressy,

Campden Hill Campden Hill is a hill in Kensington, West London, bounded by Holland Park Avenue on the north, Kensington High Street on the south, Kensington Palace Gardens on the east and Abbotsbury Road on the west. The name derives from the former ''Campde ...

, from around 1915. The grand house had been acquired by the Pankhursts, including using money from the WSPU surplus funds to be fitted out for an adoption home and nursery, causing some controversy. There was also a tension with Nurse Pine who was there to nurse the women, but did not approve of the liberal education methods of Montessori.

Move to USA

In 1916 Jenny and her sister Kitty went to the USA, appointed by

Jessica Garretson Finch Jessica Garretson Finch (August 19, 1871 – October 31, 1949) was an American educator, author, women's rights activist, founder of the Birch Wathen Lenox School, Lennox School for girls, and founding president of Finch College. Early life F ...

as joint teachers in charge of the preparatory school for female pupils moving on to the

Lenox School The Birch Wathen Lenox School is a college preparatory K-12 school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. Birch Wathen Lenox comprises approximately 500 students from all around New York City. The Birch Wathen Lenox School is one ...

. They retired as joint principals in 1929 (by which time the school had grown to 170 students and 24 staff on the faculty) and then taught in

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

before settling in

California California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...

. Jane Kenney died in 1961.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenney, Jenny Women's Social and Political Union 1884 births 1961 deaths Montessori schools in the United States Montessori education Montessori schools in the United Kingdom People from Lees, Greater Manchester