Fausten, Mrs Mary, Chalet La Rosaire, Livermead, Torquay
Mary Trebels Fausten, (1868 – 1946)[1] was a US citizen, the daughter of John James Campbell, born on 18 December 1868 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mary Campbell was also known as Baker probably the name of her first husband as her elder daughter Elsa was described as Elsa Baker Fausten. She subsequently married Oscar W. Fausten, in 1900. Oscar was of German descent, naturalized in 1896. They had one daughter, Marion.
Mary Fausten’s passport records that she came to England in 1908. By the end of 1910 the Faustens appear to have been living in Torquay, where one of the Fausten daughters attended an ambulance class.[2] Soon after Fausten became involved in the suffrage movement, as she is referred to as offering to host a committee meeting for the WSPU in February 1911.[3] In the 1911 census both Mary and her daughter Elsa record their occupations as Women’s Suffrage. Surprisingly the enumerator accepted this. They also recorded in the ‘Infirmity’ column that they were ‘Unenfranchised’.
The Faustens went back to the US during 1911-2, but after Mary and Marian returned in June 1912[4] Fausten took on the role of Secretary to the WSPU branch in Torquay and Paignton.[5] Her reports refer to the organisation of an open-air meeting; increasing sales of newspapers; a jumble sale; collection of donations; ‘At Homes’ where an American guest read papers about the Suffrage movement in the US; and appeals for more help from members.[6] She also, together with her husband, worked locally for the Men’s Political Union for Women’s Enfranchisement.[7] Donations from both Mrs Fausten and Miss Marion Fausten are recorded during the Self-Denial fund-raising initiative.[8]
By the summer of 1913, however, the Faustens had plans to leave Torquay, and Mary Fausten resigned her role as secretary.[9] The branch organised a farewell tea for her at Goodbody’s café, and presented her with a signed copy of the latest portrait of Mrs Pankhurst.[10] She moved initially to Bournemouth, where she is named as one of the subscribers to a fund for distributing Miss Pankhurst’s book to the clergymen of the town.[11] However, in 1914 she was in London, where she was charged and sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment for ‘disorderly conduct’ protesting outside the Brompton Oratory.[12] Oscar Fausten, who was present, gave their address as Princes Gardens.
In 1916 Mary Fausten returned to the United States. She died on 23 May 1946 in Poland, and is buried there.
Entry created by Marilyn Smee, November 2018
[1] Family and census information from www.ancestry.co.uk
[2] Torquay Times, 9 Dec 1910.
[3] Votes for Women (VfW) 10 Feb 1911.
[4] Mary and Marion recorded as passengers arriving in Plymouth from New York on 14 Jun 1912.
[5] VfW refers to her as secretary for the first time on 4 Oct 1912.
[6] VfW,6 Sep & 4 Oct 1912; The Suffragette, 29 Nov 1912.
[7] The Suffragette, 25 Oct 1912.
[8] The Suffragette, 9 May 1913.
[9] The Suffragette, 13 Jun 1913..
[10] The Suffragette, 11 Jul 1913.
[11] The Suffragette, 13 Feb 1914.
[12] The Globe, 8 Jun 1914.