Person    | Female  Born 21/5/1890  Died 29/9/1957

Daisy Parsons

Marguerite "Daisy" Parsons was born in Poplar as Marguerite Lena Millo. When she was young her parents moved to Canning Town, part of West Ham. Working in a factory showed her how men and women were treated differently. 1908 married trade unionist Tom Parsons and started a family. She joined the suffragette cause and was part of a delegation to the Prime Minister in 1914 - our photo is from that event. She later became a councillor and 1936-7 was West Ham's first woman mayor. Awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours of 1951. Died London.

From at least 2012 until 2020 a substation in Hermit Road Recreation Ground, E16, was covered with a mural, one section of which celebrated Parsons' work.  The substation was demolished in 2020.

Much of our information comes from East End Women's Museum which has more information and photos of the mural.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Daisy Parsons

Commemorated ati

Daisy Parsons

Daisy Parsons, MBE, 1890 - 1957, first female Mayor of West Ham. London Borou...

Read More

Other Subjects

Caroline Martineau

Caroline Martineau

Born Caroline Anne, daughter of Richard Martineau, a director and partner of the Whitbread Brewery. Early on she was interested in the study of natural science, attending lectures at the Royal Ins...

Person, Education, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Brixton Black Women's Group

Brixton Black Women's Group

Started by Olive Morris and other women who had been active in the Black Panther Movement. It was formed to address the specific issues faced by black women, and to offer advice and support to thos...

Group, Community / Clubs, Gender Issues, Race Issues

2 memorials
Winchester geese

Winchester geese

In medieval London the Bishop of Winchester (e.g. William of Wykeham) had a Palace on the section of the south bank of the Thames nearest here. It included what is now Southwark Cathedral and the b...

Group, Gender Issues

1 memorial
Dr Arthur Farre

Dr Arthur Farre

Eminent obstetrician and physician extraordinary to Queen Victoria.  Born Charterhouse Square.  As a friend of Baron Rothschild and obstetrician to his wife, helped him set up the Evelina Children'...

Person, Children, Gender Issues, Medicine

1 memorial
Julia Scurr

Julia Scurr

Born Julia Sullivan in Limehouse, married John Scurr in 1900. Politically active, campaigning for working women, the unemployed, women's suffrage. 1919 elected to Poplar Borough Council and was imp...

Person, Gender Issues, Politics & Administration

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Charles Mèwes

Charles Mèwes

Born in France. Worked in collaboration with Arthur Davis - see there for more information.

Person, Architecture, France

1 memorial
James Knowles

James Knowles

Two architects, father (1806–1884) and son (1831-1908), with the same name, James Thomas Knowles, either could have been the architect for the Shakespeare plinth.

Person, Architecture

1 memorial