WRITER AND SUFFRAGIST, CHARLOTTE MANNING

Born in 1803 she was the daughter of Isaac Solly of Leyton, Essex.

Her first marriage in 1835 was to William Speir who lived and died in Calcutta where he was a medical practitioner. Whether her own study of India began at that time is unknown, but it led to two major publications, Life in Ancient India (1856) and Ancient and Medieval India (1869), and a lifelong connection with the country.

After her second marriage in 1857 to James Manning, she moved to London to live in Kensington. With her step-daughter, Elizabeth, she became friendly with Emily Davies and in 1863 joined Davies’ committee for obtaining the admission of women to University Local Examinations, 1862–65. After success had been achieved, members of this committee formed a discussion group, the Kensington Society, which met at Charlotte Manning’s home with her as President.

She became the first Mistress of Girton College, in the Michaelmas term of 1869. Emily Davies hoped that she would hold office for at least a year to give the new institution ‘a stamp of seriousness and solidity’ but her intention was only to stay for the one term for the purpose ‘of appearing before an unbelieving and suspicious public as the responsible promoters of the new College’.

Before her death in 1871, Charlotte Manning founded, and was first president of the London branch of the National Indian Association.