Clara Collet
Encyclopedia
Clara Collet was pivotal in effecting many reforms which greatly improved working conditions and pay for women (and some men) during the early part of the twentieth century. Perhaps the most important thing that she did for posterity was her fastidious and fascinating collection of statistical and descriptive evidence of life for working women and the underprivileged in London and elsewhere in England.
Her Unitarian
father sent her to the North London Collegiate School
London close to where she lived which was one of the most liberated schools for girls at that time. On leaving school she worked as a school mistress at Wyggeston Girl's School in Leicester. This was later to become Regent's College
. However, she did not find this work fulfilling enough and after seven years she left to return to London and commence a Master's degree at University College London
.
After completion of this degree she commenced work for Charles Booth
helping in his great investigative work on the conditions prevailing in late nineteenth century London
. To this end she took up residency in the East End during the autumn of 1888. She was working on a chapter on Women's Work in Booth's masterpiece 'Life and Labour of the People of London'. As part of this investigation Collet interviewed prostitutes and wrote a section covering their conditions and reasons for choosing such 'work'. This was at the time Jack the Ripper
killed at least five prostitutes.
Her family became acquainted with Karl Marx
and Clara became especially friendly with his daughter Eleanor Marx
.
Collet was probably George Gissing
's closest friend during the last ten years of his life, providing the intellectual stimulation he lacked in his marriage. She may have been in love with him, although this does not appear to have been reciprocated. She oversaw the education of his children after Gissing's death. At this time she also became engaged in a long disagreement with H G Wells over the foreword of Gissing's posthumously published novel Veranilda.
Collet worked as a civil servant working with the Board of Trade
during which time she helped introduce many reforms including the introduction of the Old Age Pension and Labour Exchanges. During these years she worked with well-known politicians such as David Lloyd George
, Ramsay MacDonald
, William Beveridge
and Winston Churchill
.
Her Unitarian
Unitarianism
Unitarianism is a Christian theological movement, named for its understanding of God as one person, in direct contrast to Trinitarianism which defines God as three persons coexisting consubstantially as one in being....
father sent her to the North London Collegiate School
North London Collegiate School
North London Collegiate School is an independent day school for girls founded in 1850 in Camden Town, and now in the London Borough of Harrow.The Good Schools Guide called the school an "Academically stunning outer London school in a glorious setting which, in 2003, demonstrated its refusal to rest...
London close to where she lived which was one of the most liberated schools for girls at that time. On leaving school she worked as a school mistress at Wyggeston Girl's School in Leicester. This was later to become Regent's College
Regent's College
Regent's College is located in Regent's Park, London, England. It is one of the two largest groups of buildings in the park, along with the London Zoo, and was built on the site of South Villa, one of the original eight Regent's Park villas....
. However, she did not find this work fulfilling enough and after seven years she left to return to London and commence a Master's degree at University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
.
After completion of this degree she commenced work for Charles Booth
Charles Booth (philanthropist)
Charles Booth was an English philanthropist and social researcher. He is most famed for his innovative work on documenting working class life in London at the end of the 19th century, work that along with that of Benjamin Seebohm Rowntree influenced government intervention against poverty in the...
helping in his great investigative work on the conditions prevailing in late nineteenth century London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. To this end she took up residency in the East End during the autumn of 1888. She was working on a chapter on Women's Work in Booth's masterpiece 'Life and Labour of the People of London'. As part of this investigation Collet interviewed prostitutes and wrote a section covering their conditions and reasons for choosing such 'work'. This was at the time Jack the Ripper
Jack the Ripper
"Jack the Ripper" is the best-known name given to an unidentified serial killer who was active in the largely impoverished areas in and around the Whitechapel district of London in 1888. The name originated in a letter, written by someone claiming to be the murderer, that was disseminated in the...
killed at least five prostitutes.
Her family became acquainted with Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
and Clara became especially friendly with his daughter Eleanor Marx
Eleanor Marx
Jenny Julia Eleanor "Tussy" Marx , also known as Eleanor Marx Aveling, was the English-born youngest daughter of Karl Marx. She was herself a socialist activist, who sometimes worked as a literary translator...
.
Collet was probably George Gissing
George Gissing
George Robert Gissing was an English novelist who published twenty-three novels between 1880 and 1903. From his early naturalistic works, he developed into one of the most accomplished realists of the late-Victorian era.-Early life:...
's closest friend during the last ten years of his life, providing the intellectual stimulation he lacked in his marriage. She may have been in love with him, although this does not appear to have been reciprocated. She oversaw the education of his children after Gissing's death. At this time she also became engaged in a long disagreement with H G Wells over the foreword of Gissing's posthumously published novel Veranilda.
Collet worked as a civil servant working with the Board of Trade
Board of Trade
The Board of Trade is a committee of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, originating as a committee of inquiry in the 17th century and evolving gradually into a government department with a diverse range of functions...
during which time she helped introduce many reforms including the introduction of the Old Age Pension and Labour Exchanges. During these years she worked with well-known politicians such as David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
, Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
, William Beveridge
William Beveridge
William Henry Beveridge, 1st Baron Beveridge KCB was a British economist and social reformer. He is best known for his 1942 report Social Insurance and Allied Services which served as the basis for the post-World War II welfare state put in place by the Labour government elected in 1945.Lord...
and Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
.