THE SUFFRAGETTE
TERESA MARY BILLINGTON:
Was Born in Blackburn in 1877,She was sent to a convent school in Blackburn.Teresa had constant problems with her parents who were staunch catholic. This resulted in Teresa leaving home as a teenager and becoming one of the better known suffragets.
She originally worked as a school teacher in Manchester, however, after refusing to teach religious education, the education board in Manchester sacked her.
Emmeline Pankhurst: Was a member of this board and was so impressed with Teresa that she organised a position for Teresa in a Jewish school.
With encouragement from Emmeline, Teresa became a member of the Independent labour Party in Manchester and followed on to become heavily involved in the Trade Union, She also became secretary of the Manchester "Equal Pay Committee" after recogonising that woman were not paid equally to men in the same jobs.
Teresa then joined the Womans Social and Political Union and in 1907 was asked to become a full time worker for the organisation in London. That same year she married a Scotsman called Frederick Greig, she joined her name to her married name and became Teresa Billington Greig.
Teresa objected to the way that Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst made decisions without consulting other members of the Womans Social and Political Union and left along with a Charlotte Despard to form the Womans Freedom League.
Teresa and other woman in her group were often led off to prison after being arrested during demonstrations. Teresa wrote an article in which she accused Emmeline Pankhurst and Christabel Pankhurst of emotionalism, fanaticism, and personal tyranny!
Teresa married Frederick Greig in 1907 and became Teresa Billington Greig.
By 1910 Teresa was working independently as a suffraget, In 1911 she wrote a book called "The Militant Suffrage Movement", In 1912 wrote another book called "Consumers in Revolt" and in 1913 :Woman and the Machine".
Teresa by 1928 had been concentrating her efforts on increasing the number of woman in the "House of Commons" and for several years was the Director of the "Woman for Westminster" group.
The early supporters of the Womans Social and Political Union(WSPU) were mostly working class.Teresa Billington had the previous year drafted a constitution for the WSPU that had then been adopted by its first annual conference. As tensions grew in the following months between London headquarters and these leading socialist suffragists Emmeline Pankhurst cancelled the annual meeting due in September 1907 and scrapped the WSPU's constitution. The dissidents then summoned a special conference that attracted delegates from a large number of branches. Unable, however, to dislodge the London leadership from the union's headquarters or to gain control of its funds, the dissidents established a new body, the Womans Freedom League. This attracted some socialist suffragists, like Hannah Mitchell, away from the union while others, like Mary Gawthorpe, remained loyal to the Pankhursts
Teresa died in 1964.
Here is the 1881 census of Teresa and her Family:
Dwelling: 32 Schleswig St
Census Place: Preston, Lancashire, England
Source: FHL Film 1342012 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 4229 Folio 57 Page 21
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
William BILLINGTON M 35 M Ireland
Rel: Head
Occ: Clerk In foundry
Helen BILLINGTON M 37 F Preston, Lancashire, England
Rel: Wife
Occ: House Wife
Mary Beatrice BILLINGTON 6 F Barrow In Furness, Lancashire, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Teresa Mary BILLINGTON 4 F Preston, Lancashire, England
Rel: Daur
John Stanislaus BILLINGTON 2 M Preston, Lancashire, England
Rel: Son
Her father William married an Ellen WILSON. 4th February 1874, Preston RC Church.
Father Wm originally was born in Ireland in about 1846 ( to parents Wm and Jane) he died in 1926 and was buried on the 5th Feb. 1926 at the Pleasington Cemetry in Blackburn.
Teresa's brother, John Stanislaus died in 1929 and was also buried on the 27th February in the Pleasington Cemetry in Blackburn, John married an Elsie Blanche Tomlinson.
Her sister Mary Beatrice married a Roger Coupe from Manchester,2nd May 1896 at St Albans, Blackburn.
His Grandfather William, b. abt 1816 possibly in Penwortham, but not confirmed yet, married a Jane Nee Parker in 1840 at Preston RC Church.