Mary Wollestonecraft (1759-1797)

Britannica

Mary Wollstonecraft was one of England’s ‘first feminists’ and campaigned for the liberation and education of women in the 18th century. after suffering a difficult childhood, at age 25 she set up a school for girls on Newington Green. At 33 she wrote her most famous work "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman" which imagined a social order where women were the equals of men. She died aged 38 following the birth of her daughter, the author Mary Shelley.

Wollstonecraft was a pioneer fighting for women’s rights, and Islington residents are very proud to have her legacy. She established Islington as a hub of feminism and changed the lives of women internationally. She is a true icon and an inspiration to all of us who are still fighting for women’s rights.

“I do not wish women to have power over men, but over themselves.”