Elizabeth Malleson (néeWhitehead; 1828–1916) was an English educationalist, suffragist and activist for women's education and rural nursing.
Life
Elizabeth Whitehead was born into a Unitarian family in Chelsea, Malleson was the first child of 11. After working as a governess she taught at the experimental Portman Hall School.[1][2]
In May 1857, she married a businessman and lifelong Unitarian named Frank Rodbard Malleson and they were to have four children. Malleson became involved with Frederick Maurice's Working Men's College.[3]
The Women's Superintendent in 1865 was Sarah Amos.[8] The college became open to both men and women in 1874 after the Working Men's College refused an offer to merge. This co-educational idea was driven by Malleson and her husband and the resulting opposition in the college led to a group led by Frances Martin moving away to form another college for women.[9]
The Malleson's "College for Men and Women" continued in operation to 1901.[10] The rival women's college started by Frances Martin operated until 1966.[9]
Rural nursing
Malleson moved with her family to Dixton Manor in 1884[3] and there she was concerned to find that there was little local service of nurses for pregnant women. Malleson arranged for a trained nurse to be available to serve the people of Gotherington. Malleson's scheme was not the first but she decided to form a national organisation and her appeal for help brought her into contact with Lady Lucy Hicks-Beech. She was the wife of Michael Hicks Beach, 1st Earl St Aldwyn and they gathered enough support to launch a Rural Nursing Association.[11]
In 1871, Queen Victoria decided to use £70,000 donated to her Jubilee to found the Queen's Nursing Institute in 1889. Malleson's nurses became the Rural Nursing Division in 1891 and Malleson became the organisation's secretary.[11]