Davies, Margaret Llewelyn (1861–1944)
Davies, Margaret Llewelyn (1861–1944)
British radical and women's rights advocate Born in Marylebone, England, in 1861; died in 1944; daughter of John Llewelyn Davies and Mary (Crampton) Llewelyn Davies; niece of Emily Davies (1830–1921); attended Queen's College, London, and Girton College, Cambridge.
Influenced by her father, a cleric with Christian Socialist connections, and her mother, a suffragist, Margaret Davies became a lifelong advocate for women. A member of the Women's Co-operative Guild for 33 years, Davies championed a minimum wage for women co-operative employees, equal divorce rights for women, and improved maternity care and benefits. She also helped found the International Women's Co-operative Guild in 1921 and served as the first woman president of the Co-operative Congress in 1922. Her numerous publications include Maternity: Letters from Working Women, an influential book detailing experiences of childbirth and rearing. A supporter of the Russian Revolution, Davies was also chair of the Society for Cultural Relations with the USSR (1924–28).