Lucia Marion Foster Welch (1864–1940) was a suffragette and

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...

politician who served as

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

's first female mayor. Lucia Foster Welch was born Lucia Marion Brown in

Liverpool Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...

in 1864. Her mother was a close friend of

Elizabeth Fry Elizabeth Fry (née Gurney; 21 May 1780 – 12 October 1845), sometimes referred to as Betsy Fry, was an English prison reformer, social reformer, philanthropist and Quaker. Fry was a major driving force behind new legislation to improve the tr ...

. In 1884 she married Philip Braham. She moved to Southampton in 1903 before marrying Robert William Foster Welch (a doctor) a year later. Lucia Foster Welch was actively involved in the suffragette movement and was a member of the

National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies The National Union of Women Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), also known as the ''suffragists'' (not to be confused with the suffragettes) was an organisation founded in 1897 of women's suffrage societies around the United Kingdom. In 1919 it was ren ...

and 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 ...

. On 4 February 1911 when

Emmeline Pankhurst Emmeline Pankhurst ('' née'' Goulden; 15 July 1858 – 14 June 1928) was an English political activist who organised the UK suffragette movement and helped women win the right to vote. In 1999, ''Time'' named her as one of the 100 Most Impo ...

gave a speech in Southampton at the

Palace Theatre Palace Theatre, or Palace Theater, is the name of many theatres in different countries, including: Australia *Palace Theatre, Melbourne, Victoria *Palace Theatre, Sydney, New South Wales Canada *Palace Theatre, housed in the Robillard Block, Mo ...

, Lucia Foster Welch hosted Pankhurst and a number of friends and sympathisers for tea after the event. In 1912 when the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies was concerned that the

National League for Opposing Woman Suffrage The National League for Opposing Woman Suffrage was founded in London in December 1910 to oppose the extension of the voting franchise to women in the United Kingdom. It was formed as an amalgamation of the Women's National Anti-Suffrage League a ...

was going to concentrate its activities on Southampton that winter, Lucia Foster Welch was made head of a committee formed to oppose them. However little anti-suffrage activity appears to have taken place in Southampton during the relevant period. In 1918 with elections suspended due to the war Lucia Foster Welch was co-opted to the town council as the then town's first female Councillor. Later that year when elections were held she defended her seat representing Newtown. In 1927 she was elected as the town's first female Mayor. At the time it was a regular part of the mayor's duties to greet more distinguished travelers at the docks. In this role Lucia Foster Welch greeted

Henry Ford Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947) was an American industrialist, business magnate, founder of the Ford Motor Company, and chief developer of the assembly line technique of mass production. By creating the first automobile that mi ...

. She also greeted

Amelia Earhart Amelia Mary Earhart ( , born July 24, 1897; disappeared July 2, 1937; declared dead January 5, 1939) was an American aviation pioneer and writer. Earhart was the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She set many oth ...

after she did her transatlantic flight.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Welch, Lucia Foster Women mayors of places in England Mayors of Southampton 1864 births 1940 deaths English suffragists