Simpson, Mrs Sarah Louisa

Simpson,Mrs Sarah Louisa, 1 Queen Anne Terrace, Plymouth

Sarah Louisa (known as Louie or Louise) Simpson (1854 – 1941) was born in Lambeth, London in 1864, the daughter of Robert Wilmot, a builder, and his wife Elizabeth. She was one of ten children. By the age of 16, she was working as a clerk at Nine Elms House, Lambeth, a mission society aiming to rehabilitate discharged women prisoners.[1]

In 1889, Wilmot married Dr Robert Simpson (1861-1943) in Bristol and they lived at Westbury-on Trim. They had three children, Kathleen Winifred (b. 1891, Bristol), Robert Gordon (b. 1892, Bristol),and Geoffrey Lister (b.1902, Plymouth). By 1895 Simpson and her family had moved to Plymouth, living at 1 Queen Anne Terrace where Dr Simpson established his medical practice.[2]

In 1898 Simpson was one of five women who were nominated by the Liberal Association for election to the Plymouth Board of Guardians, but was the only one to be elected.[3] She was the first, and for some time the only, woman Guardian in Plymouth. Shortly after her election a proposal to co-opt additional women to the Board was defeated.[4] As a Guardian, she was particularly interested in conditions in the workhouse infirmary and spoke on many occasions about their perceived shortcomings.[5] She also took a keen interest in all matters relating to children and in 1910 took on the chairmanship of the Children’s Committee.[6] When a Distress Committee was established by Plymouth Town Council to administer the Unemployed Workmen’s Act in 1905, Simpson was co-opted in recognition of her contribution to the Board of Guardians and her willingness to speak out for the poor and distressed.[7]

In 1909, Simpson attended the inaugural meeting of the Plymouth branch of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS). At this meeting she proposed the vote of thanks to the chairman, speakers, and organisers of the meeting.[8] At future meetings and elsewhere she spoke and wrote in support of women’s suffrage.[9] After the Representation of the People Act 1918 was passed, she continued to campaign for equal political rights for women.  She is known to have taken part in a procession and demonstration in London in 1926 calling for equal voting rights and for seats in the House of Lords for Peeresses. At this rally she was reported to have been on the platform in Hyde Park alongside other prominent women politicians including Margaret Bondfield and Ellen Wilkinson.[10]

During the 1914-1919 war, Simpson served with the Medical Electrical Treatment Mission although no further information about this service has been traced.[11]

During the Town Council elections of 1919 Simpson was nominated by the Labour and Co-operative Association as candidate for Stoke Ward. She won the seat over the sitting Unionist member by 906 votes to 703, a majority of 198.[12] Along with Mrs Clara Daymond (St Budeaux Ward) she became one of the first two women councillors returned to Plymouth Town Council. Simpson was appointed to the Higher Education, Medical Treatment, and Finance sub committees.[13] She also served as Chairman of the Children and Aftercare Committee and at Council meetings she supported the appointment of women police officers and spoke against the opening of cinemas on Sundays.

On 23 December 1919, the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act passed into law, allowing women to be appointed as justices of the peace (JPs) for the first time. The following July 172 new women magistrates for England were appointed, one of whom was Mrs Simpson.[14] She continued as a serving magistrate until at least 1940. Both she and her husband Dr Robert Simpson were members of the Western Temperance League, Dr Simpson acting as President of the Temperance Society.  Her strong support for the temperance movement was to cause some criticism of her stance on licensing matters and for some time she was not allowed to serve on the Plymouth Licensing Magistrates.[15] She also often spoke at annual temperance conferences. Dr and Mrs Simpson left Plymouth for London in 1921, although for some time she retained her seat on the Magistrates Bench and visited the town frequently.

In both the 1923 and 1924 general elections, Simpson unsuccessfully stood for parliament as a Labour and Co-operative candidate for the seat of Dorset West, polling 7087 votes and 5767 votes respectively.[16] It was reported in 1926 that she was expected to be selected as the Labour candidate for Rutland and Stamford constituency, although she does not appear to have stood in the next general election of 1929.[17]

Mrs Simpson died at her home in London on 10 February 1941 aged 76. Probate records show that her wealth at death amounted to £2492 17s 4d.[18]


Entry created by Ann Bond, December 2018


[1] 1871 census

[2] 1901 census

[3] WMN 15 March 1898; WMN 11 May 1898

[4] WMN 4 May 1898

[5] See for example WMN 21 March 1900;

[6] WMN 20 July 1910

[7] WMN 3 October 1905

[8] WMN 25 February 1909

[9] DEG 12 Mar 1909

[10] The Vote 2 July 1926

[11] The Magistrates of England and Wales
circuit (1940) Jakemans Printers: Hereford p338

[12] WMN 3 November 1919

[13] WMN 15 November 1919

[14] DEG 20 July 1920

[15] WMN 12 May 1921

[16]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Dorset_(UK_Parliament_constituency)#Elections_in_the_1920s

[17] WMN 8 March 1926

[18] Probate; 3 June 1941

 

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