Cobbe, Frances Power, 1822-1904

English journalist and reformer.

Frances Power Cobbe, English philanthropist, social worker, and religious author, advocate of women's rights, education for poor and neglected children, and anti-vivisectionist.

Frances Power Cobbe was a Dublin-born philanthropist, humanitarian and leading anti-vivisection and anti-cruelty campaigner. She founded the Victoria Street Society as an abolitionist movement in 1874. When in 1898 more moderate forces within the society succeeded in having it renamed the national Anti-Vivisection Society and relaxed its policy on campaigning for the complete abolition of animal experimentation, Cobbe resigned and formed the British Union for Abolition of Vivisection.

Biography

Frances Power Cobbe (1822-1904), English philanthropist and religious writer, commenced her social work at Bristol with Mary Carpenter at Red Lodge reformatory and the ragged schools. Her social work and work house philanthropy led to the writing of numerous books and articles on subjects in those fields. Through travel abroad and a widening circle of friends, she became acquainted with many of the prominent persons of her time. She lectured on the duties of women, promoted the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1878, and worked hard on the anti-vivisection movement. A number of her books were devoted to expressions of her religious feelings.

In 1884 Miss Cobbe retired from the busy life of London to live at Hengwrt, Wales. In 1894 she wrote here Life, published in two volumes, in which some of the letters in the present collection were printed.