Jane Gemmill

Jane Gemmill, MBE (17 July 1855 - ?) was a Scottish temperance activist[1] who founded the Whiteinch Band of Hope and the Partich Branch of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (W.C.T.U.). She was also affiliated with the British Women's Temperance Association (B.W.T.A.) and the Scottish Temperance Alliance. Gemmill was the only woman candidate in the municipal election of 1907 in the Glasgow district.

Biography

Jane Gemmill was born in Glasgow, 17 July 1855.[1] Her father was John Ferguson, of Glasgow.[2]

She was educated privately in Glasgow and London.[1]

She became identified with the temperance cause in early life, and took an active part in temperance work ever since. She was the founder (1876) of the Whiteinch Band of Hope, the largest in Scotland, of which she served as honorary secretary until 1880.[1]

On 17 March 1880, she married William Gemmill, a solicitor of Glasgow.[1] William's father was Peter Gemmill of Glasgow.[2]

She founded the Partich Branch of the W.C.T.U. in 1894, serving as honorary secretary from 1894 to 1922, and as president from the latter year to at least 1925. She was honorary secretary of the B.W.T.A., which had over 60,000 members, from 1912 to 1921; and was vice-president from 1921 to at least 1925. She served as honorary secretary (1902–13) and vice-president (1913–23) of the Glasgow District Union of the B.W.T.A., and was president since 1923. In 1913, she attended the Fourteenth International Congress Against Alcoholism held at Milan, Italy.[1]

The only woman candidate in the municipal election of 1907 in the Glasgow district was Gemmill, who stood for the fourth ward of Partick. She was opposed by George Douglas, who proclaimed himself "against Socialism", and by George Gilchrist, Labour candidate. Gemmill conducted a vigorous campaign, addressing several open-air meetings of shipyard workers, and was invariably well received. The chief points in her programme were temperance reform, efficiency with economy, measures for the diminution of infantile mortality, and the promotion of sanitation and health. Gemmill was defeated by both opponents.[3]

During World War I, she was a convener of two Belgian Homes House Committees; Honorary Secretary to two canteens in Munition Works; member, Committee of B.W.T.A. Soldiers' Club; chair, Partick War Savings Association;[4] and president, Partick Infant Welfare Visitors.[2]

She was also a member of the executive committee of the Scottish Temperance Alliance, which was formed in 1924.[1]

Her home was at 45 Westbourne Gardens, Glasgow.[1]

Awards and honours

In 1918, Gemmill was decorated (M.B.E.) by King George V in recognition of her war-time services.[1][5]

See also

References
  1. Cherrington, Ernest Hurst (1926). "GEMMILL, JANE". Standard Encyclopedia of the Alcohol Problem. Vol. 3. Westerville, Ohio: American Issue Publishing House. p. 1076. Retrieved 1 January 2023 – via Internet Archive. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. A. Winton Thorpe, ed. (1921). Burke's Handbook to the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. Burke publishing Company, Limited. p. 208. OCLC 1008471966. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. "WOMEN AND COUNCILS. DEFEATS IN SCOTLAND". The Guardian. 6 November 1907. p. 8. Retrieved 1 January 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "SUPPLEMENT to the LONDON GAZETTE". The London Gazette. Tho. Newcomb over against Baynards Castle in Thamse-street. 7 June 1918. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  5. Willard, Mary Bannister; Willard, Frances Elizabeth; Ames, Julia A.; West, Mary Allen; Stevens, Lillian M. N. Ames; Boole, Ella Alexander; Smith, Ida Belle Wise; Colvin, Mrs D. Leigh; Hays, Mrs Glenn G.; Edgar, Mrs Kermit S. (3 October 1918). "Temperance News From Round The World". Union Signal and World's White Ribbon. National Woman's Christian Temperance Union. XLIV (36): 7. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
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