Born: November 1825 (North Willingham, Lincolnshire)
Died: 18 October 1905
Biography:
(Emilia) Jessie Boucherett (November 1825 – 18 October 1905) was an English campaigner for women’s rights. She was born in November 1825 at North Willingham, near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire. As the grandchild of Lt. Colonel Ayscoghe Boucherett and the youngest child of his son Ayscoghe and Louisa, daughter of Frederick John Pigou of Dartford, Kent, Jessie Boucherett came from a prominent family.
Boucherett’s passion for women’s causes was ignited by her exposure to the English Woman’s Journal, which not only reflected her own aims, but also shed light on the challenges faced by the many ‘superfluous’ women in England during the middle years of the nineteenth century. During this time, the female population far exceeded that of males, bringing attention to the limited opportunities available to women in society.
On 21 November 1865, Jessie Boucherett, along with the aid of Barbara Bodichon and Helen Taylor, proposed the idea of parliamentary reform and initiated a campaign for women’s suffrage. Their goal was to secure the right to vote for women, a revolutionary concept at the time. Boucherett also played a significant role in the establishment of the Society for Promoting the Employment of Women in 1859, which later evolved into the Society for Promoting the Training of Women. This organization, operating today as the registered charity Futures for Women, continues to empower and support women in their pursuit of employment and education.
In 1859, Boucherett, alongside Adelaide Anne Procter and Barbara Bodichon, joined forces to form the Langham Place Group. This small but dedicated collective aimed to improve the situation of women, advocating for their rights and fighting for gender equality. Boucherett was a staunch advocate for the women’s suffrage movement and played a pivotal role in the fight for the Married Women’s Property Act. Her unwavering dedication led her to establish the Englishwoman’s Review in 1866. Four years later, in 1870, she co-founded the Women’s Suffrage Journal with Lydia Becker.
Throughout her life, Jessie Boucherett published a number of influential works that shed light on the challenges faced by women and advocated for their rights. Some notable publications include Hints on Self-Help for Young Women (1863), The Condition of Women in France (1868), How to Provide for Superfluous Women (1869), The Industrial Position of Women (1884), and The Condition of Working Women and the Factory Acts (1896). Through these works, Boucherett aimed to raise awareness and effect change in society by addressing the barriers and injustices faced by women.
Jessie Boucherett’s impact on women’s history cannot be underestimated. Her tireless efforts and visionary ideas laid the foundation for greater gender equality and paved the way for future generations of women to assert their rights. Her contributions to the women’s suffrage movement, establishment of empowering organizations, and influential writings made her an instrumental figure in the fight for women’s rights in Victorian England.