Person    | Female  Born 17/1/1828  Died 2/6/1907

Rose Mary Crawshay

Rose Mary Crawshay

Philanthropist, feminist, educationist. Born Rose Mary Yeates in Horton, Buckinghamshire, to William Willson Yeates and his first wife Mary. When she was seven three of her baby sisters died in quick succession, followed by her mother 3 years later. See her father's page for this sad story.

1846 she married Robert Thompson Crawshay (1817 - 1879) a wealthy 'ironmaster' of Merthyr Tydfil and was the mistress of the 72-roomed and 15-towered Cyfarthfa Castle until her husband's death in 1879. Though it produced 5 children her marriage was not happy, which may have some bearing on her campaigns for women's suffrage and the reform of matrimonial law. Also interested in education she joined school boards, one of the first women to do so. Created a literary prize for female scholars and created 7 free libraries insisting they were open to women (she had to do that!). Died at home, "Cathedine", Bwlch, Breconshire, Wales.

Andrew Behan has researched this lady and can add: The probate records show her estate totalled £19,852-0s-3d when she died and at the time of the 1871 census she was residing at her London address of 39 Wimpole Street.

Wikipedia has a page for Rose Mary and others for some of her Crawshay relatives and for Clissold Park. These together provide a family connection with the location of the memorial, Clissold Park. Rose Mary's husband's aunt, Eliza (or Elizabeth, depending on source) Crawshay and her husband, Reverend Augustus Clissold, owned Clissold Park. Rose Mary was widowed in 1879 and then in 1889 Clissold Park was opened to the public. Just 4 years after that Rose Mary had the fountain installed there, in memory of her three sisters who had died 60 years before.

Note: Her birthplace is sometimes given as Caversham Grove (her father's family home) but the official records give Horton Grove.

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This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Rose Mary Crawshay

Creations i

Yeates sisters

In memory of three sweet sisters aged 1, 3, 4, years, daughters of Wilson Yea...

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Other Subjects

International Students House

International Students House

ISH began life in 1917 as Student Movement House, a social centre opened at 32 Russell Square in memory of students who died in WW1. 1932 - 46 the warden of Student Movement House was Mary Trevelya...

Group, Community / Clubs, Education

1 memorial
Frank George Fabian Jeffery

Frank George Fabian Jeffery

Kelly's Beckenham Directory for 1916 lists a Frank Jeffery as the manager of London City & Midland Bank Limited 241 Beckenham Road. He seemed to be a good match for the Stanley Halls portrait p...

Person, Benefactor, Education

1 memorial
Whitgift School

Whitgift School

Founded by John Whitgift. It was originally located in North End, Croydon and moved to its current site, Haling Park in 1931. Between 1871 and 1946 it was known as Whitgift Grammar School, after wh...

Building, Education

1 memorial
Hawthorns High School for Boys

Hawthorns High School for Boys

School in Hayes, in the Borough of Hillingdon at which George Orwell taught from 1932 - 1933. He is top right in the photograph.

Building, Education

1 memorial
St Mary’s Girls' Club

St Mary’s Girls' Club

See Gospel Lighthouse Mission for all we have on this.

Building, Education, Property, Social Welfare

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Tsunami Support UK

Tsunami Support UK

2011: "The Tsunami Support Network, coordinated by the British Red Cross, has now passed on its activities to an elected committee aimed at continuing to help provide support for families and indiv...

Group, Community / Clubs, Tragedy

1 memorial
Margery Allingham

Margery Allingham

W2, Westbourne Terrace Road, Hurlingham House

Margery Allingham, 1904 - 1966, writer of crime fiction and creator of Albert Campion, lived here, 1916 - 1926. City of Westminster

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Munenori Terashima

Munenori Terashima

Became a student at UCL in 1865.

Person, Education, Japan

1 memorial
Kensington Society

Kensington Society

"The objects of The Kensington Society are to preserve and improve the amenities of Kensington for the public benefit by stimulating interest in its history and records, promoting good architecture...

Group, Community / Clubs, Gardens / Agriculture, History

5 memorials
All victims

All victims

SW1, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster Abbey - west porch

This difficult-to-photograph memorial is placed, to the left, inside the railings at the west front of the abbey, and we think we would h...

1 subject commemorated