Christian Farquharson-Kennedy
Christian Farquharson-Kennedy | |
|---|---|
| Born | Christian Elizabeth Farquharson 27 February 1870 Spital, Old Aberdeen, Scotland |
| Died | 16 July 1917 (aged 47) Aberdeen, Scotland |
| Occupations | Teacher, socialist and suffragist |
| Organization(s) | Aberdeen School Board Scottish School Boards Association Women's Freedom League Working Women’s Political Association Associated Women’s Friendly Society Aberdeen Clarion Club |
| Political party | Social Democratic Federation (SDF) British Socialist Party (BSP) National Socialist Party (NSP) |
| Spouse | Tom Kennedy (m. 1902) |
Christian Elizabeth Farquharson-Kennedy (née Farquharson, 27 February 1870 – 16 July 1917) was a Scottish teacher, socialist and suffragist.
Biography
Farquharson-Kennedy was born on 27 February 1870 in Spital, Old Aberdeen, Scotland.[1]
Farquharson-Kennedy was a schoolteacher in Aberdeen who taught at Woodside School then at Kittybrewster School.[1] She was a member of Aberdeen School Board from 1906 until her death alongside being a member of the Executive of the Scottish School Boards Association.[2]
Farquharson-Kennedy was a socialist and member of the Social Democratic Federation (SDF) political party, before joining the British Socialist Party (BSP) and breakaway BSP group National Socialist Party (NSP). Farquharson-Kennedy was active in other political organisations including the Aberdeen branch of the Women's Freedom League (WFL),[3] Working Women's Political Association, Associated Women's Friendly Society and Aberdeen Clarion Club.[1][2] She also supported the carter's strike in 1897 and attended the 5th International Socialist Congress, Paris 1900.[2][4]
In 1902, Farquharson-Kennedy married socialist politician Tom Kennedy in Marylebone, London.[5]
Farquharson-Kennedy died on 16 July 1917 from tubercular peritonitis,[5][6] shortly before women got the vote.[4] A memorial service to her was held at Aberdeen Unitarian Church on 12 August 1917.[7]
Legacy
A memorial prize was established in Farquharson-Kennedy's honour from 1920.[8]
In 2006, Aberdeen City Council erected a commemorative plaque in Farquharson-Kennedy's honour at Westburn Drive in Aberdeen where she once lived.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d "Plaque commemorating Christian Farquharson Kennedy". Mapping Memorials to Women in Scotland. Archived from the original on 5 April 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ a b c "Christian Farquharson-Kennedy, socialist (1870 – 1917)". Aberdeen Protest Blog. 8 January 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "ABERDEEN WOMEN'S FREEDOM LEAGUE". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 5 June 1909. p. 4. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ a b "Where are the statues of Scots women?". The Scotsman. 23 January 2016. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ a b Thorpe, Andrew (23 September 2004). "Kennedy, Thomas (1874–1954)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/59301. Retrieved 23 August 2025. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.)
- ^ "Death of Mrs Kennedy. MEMBER MANY CITY PUBLIC BOARDS, Mrs Farquharson-Kennedy, one of the best known women in public life". Aberdeen Evening Express. 16 July 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "MRS FARQUHARSON=KENNEDY: AN APPRECIATION". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 13 August 1917. p. 4. Retrieved 23 August 2025.
- ^ "MRS FARQUHARSON-KENNEDY MEMORIAL". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 22 June 1920. p. 6. Retrieved 23 August 2025.