Collet, Clara (1860–1948)

British feminist and social economist. Name variations: Clara Elizabeth Collet. Born Clara Elizabeth Collet, Sept 10, 1860, in Islington, England; died Aug 3, 1948, in Sidmouth, England; dau. of Jane Collet (1820–1908) and Collet Dobson Collet (1813–1898, editor of The Diplomatic Review); sister of Wilfred Collet (governor of Honduras, died 1927); North London Collegiate School, BA, 1880; University College, London, MA in Political Economy, 1886.

The 1st woman fellow at University College, taught at Wyggeston High School in Leicester for 7 years (1878–85); became assistant commissioner to Royal Commission on Labour (1889); worked for Charles Booth in his investigative study on the conditions prevailing then in London, taking up residency in the East End (1888); collaborated with Booth on Life and Labour of the People of London (1889); was co-founder of Economic Club at University College (1890); for Labour Department of Board of Trade, became Labour correspondent (1893), then senior investigator (1903); focused on women's employment and influenced government policy on trade and labor; served as council member of Royal Economic Society (1920–41) and Royal Statistical Society (1919–35); was governor of Bedford College; good friend of George Gissing. Writings include The Economic Position of Educated Working Women (1890), Educated Working Women (1902) and Women in Industry (1911).

See also Deborah McDonald, Clara Collet, 1860–1948 (Woburn, 2003).