Välgörande fruntimmerssällskapet (The Women's Charitable Society) was a Swedish

charity organization A charitable organization or charity is an organization whose primary objectives are philanthropy and social well-being (e.g. educational, religious or other activities serving the public interest or common good). The legal definition of a ch ...

, active between 1819 until its dissolution in 1934. The purpose of the organisation was to collect funds to support poor females in the capital of

Stockholm Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...

, but specifically institutions and projects of various kinds which could provide poor females with work and opportunity to support themselves. The foundation belonged to the very first group of charitable organisations, which were to become so numerous during the 19th-century but were still uncommon at the time of its foundation. It was further more also likely the first foundation in its country to be founded and operated exclusively by females and was thereby Sweden's first women's organisation. The society was founded by a group of upper class women under the leadership of Princess

Sophie Albertine of Sweden Princess Sophia Albertina of Sweden (''Sophia Maria Lovisa Fredrika Albertina''; 8 October 1753 – 17 March 1829) was the last Princess-Abbess of Quedlinburg Abbey, and as such reigned as vassal monarch of the Holy Roman Empire. Sophia Alberti ...

, who also became its first chairperson. The chairperson of the organisation continued to be occupied by female members of the royal house until its dissolution. The society played an important part in the development of private secular charity in Sweden during the 19th-century, and many women's charity organizations was founded in the following decades with it as predecessor, notably the numerous women's protection societies.

Chairperson

The Society was not properly organized until 1825, when it also had its first chairperson: * 1825-1829:

* 1829-1876:

Josephine of Leuchtenberg Joséphine of Leuchtenberg (Joséphine Maximilienne Eugénie Napoléone de Beauharnais; 14 March 1807 – 7 June 1876) was Queen of Sweden and Norway from 8 March 1844 to 8 July 1859 as the wife of King Oscar I. She was also Princess of Bologna f ...

* 1876-1889:

Princess Eugenie of Sweden Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin ''princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince. Princess as a subst ...

* 1889-1905:

Victoria of Baden Sophie Marie Victoria of Baden (german: Sophie Marie Viktoria; 7 August 1862 – 4 April 1930) was Queen of Sweden from 8 December 1907 until her death in 1930 as the wife of King Gustaf V. She was politically active in a conservative fashion dur ...

* 1905-1920:

Princess Margaret of Connaught Princess Margaret of Connaught (Margaret Victoria Charlotte Augusta Norah; 15 January 1882 – 1 May 1920) was Crown Princess of Sweden as the first wife of the future King Gustaf VI Adolf. She was the elder daughter of Prince Arthur, Duke o ...

* 1920-1930:

References

Nordisk familjebok / 1800-talsutgåvan. 17. V - Väring /
* Bergström, Carin: Sophia Albertina : 1753-1829 : självständig prinsessa / Carin Bergström. Stockholm Atlantis 2011 ,
Frivilligt socialt arbete – ursprunget till den moderna socialpolitiken av Erik Lindberg

{{DEFAULTSORT:Valgorande Fruntimmerssallskapet Charities based in Sweden Social welfare charities 1819 establishments in Sweden 1934 disestablishments in Sweden Great Depression in Sweden Women's organizations based in Sweden