{{Short description|English suffragette, health visitor and author (1884–1981)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}{{Use British English|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox person | name = Cicely Hale | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date|1884|9|5|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|1981|5|28|1884|9|5|df=yes}} | death_place = | alma_mater = | other_names = | occupation = Suffragette, Health Visitor | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = | spouse = }} '''Cicely Bertha Hale''' (5 September 1884<ref name="oxforddnb.com">{{Cite ODNB | id=63864 | title=Hale, Cicely Bertha (1884–1981), suffragette and health visitor | url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-63864 | first = Rosemary | last = Auchmuty | year = 2004 | accessdate=27 May 2019 }}</ref> – 28 May 1981<ref>{{Cite ODNB | id=63864 | title=Hale, Cicely Bertha (1884–1981), suffragette and health visitor | url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/display/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-63864 | first = Rosemary | last = Auchmuty | year = 2004 | accessdate=5 September 2025}}</ref>) was an English suffragette, health visitor, and author.<ref name="Wojtczak2008">{{cite book|author=Helena Wojtczak|title=Notable Sussex Women: 580 Biographical Sketches|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6P4MAQAAMAAJ|year=2008|publisher=Hastings Press|isbn=978-1-904109-15-0}}</ref><ref name="oxforddnb.com"/>
== Biography == In 1908, having been inspired by hearing Christabel Pankhurst and Emmeline Pankhurst speak, Hale became an assistant to Mary Home in the information department at the Women's Social and Political Union headquarters.<ref name="oxforddnb.com" /><ref name="SkeltonFrancis2005">{{cite book|author1=Christine Skelton|author2-link=Becky Francis|author2=Becky Francis|title=A Feminist Critique of Education: 15 Years of Gender Development|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vBbWKFxjrgYC&pg=PA194|year=2005|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-415-36391-4|pages=194–}}</ref> Mary Home and Aeta Lamb were said, by Mary Leigh, to be the "brains" behind Christabel Pankhurst's speeches.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cowman |first=Krista |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6cbvP3XF0yMC&q=mary+home&pg=PA41 |title=Women of the Right Spirit: Paid Organisers of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), 1904-18 |page=108|date=2007-07-15 |publisher=Manchester University Press |isbn=978-0-7190-7002-0 |language=en}}</ref> While there Hale offered a news-cutting and research service, and in 1912 she became in charge of the department.<ref name="oxforddnb.com" /> Hale also typeset ''The Suffragette'' newspaper (eventually renamed ''The Britannia'') until 1916, when her father retired and she was thus left without a home or an allowance.<ref name="oxforddnb.com" />
Hale then trained as a health visitor, as well as obtaining training for the certificate of the Central Midwives' Board.<ref name="oxforddnb.com" /> She eventually became health visitor superintendent of the Salisbury Street clinic, holding the job for sixteen years.<ref name="oxforddnb.com" /> For nine years she wrote a weekly column about babies for the ''Woman's Own'' magazine.<ref name="oxforddnb.com" /> She also wrote the book ''Can I Help you with Baby?'', which had three editions.<ref name="oxforddnb.com" />
In 1947, Hale met Mary Cuningham Chater, who was the music adviser to the Girl Guides Association, and she herself subsequently became division secretary to the Arun Valley Guides, as well as helping to assemble the ''International Song Books'', running a Brownie group, and acting as camp nurse for three summers.<ref name="oxforddnb.com" /> She published her memoir in 1975, and after that spoke on the radio, in schools, and on television as one of a few living suffragettes.<ref name="oxforddnb.com" />
Brian Harrison recorded an oral history interview with Hale, in November 1974, as part of the Suffrage Interviews project, titled ''Oral evidence on the suffragette and suffragist movements: the Brian Harrison interviews.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=London School of Economics and Political Science |title=The Suffrage Interviews |url=https://www.lse.ac.uk/library/collection-highlights/the-suffrage-interviews.aspx |access-date=2023-12-12 |website=London School of Economics and Political Science |language=en-GB}}</ref> Hale talks about her involvement with the WSPU, the work of its Information Department, and about her colleagues, Mary Home, and Aeta Lamb. The interview collection also contains an interview with Hale's sister, Lady Beatrice Ricardo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lse.ac.uk/library/collection-highlights/the-suffrage-interviews|title=The Suffrance Interviews|publisher=LSE|accessdate=12 November 2021 |language=}}</ref>
Hale lived with policewoman Ann Campbell for twenty years.<ref name="oxforddnb.com" /> Campbell died in 1941, and Hale later lived in Mary Cuningham Chater's home from 1950 to 1965, after which they obtained homes next to each other.<ref name="oxforddnb.com" />
==Legacy== In 2018 a plaque and tree honouring Hale were dedicated in Marina Gardens, Littlehampton, West Sussex.<ref name="Littlehampton Gazette">{{cite web |last1=Butler |first1=James |title=Pioneering Suffragette who loved Littlehampton is honoured |url=https://www.littlehamptongazette.co.uk/news/pioneering-suffragette-who-loved-littlehampton-is-honoured-1-8357920 |website=Littlehampton Gazette |date=31 January 2018 |access-date=27 May 2019 |language=en}}</ref>
==Further reading== ''A good long time: the autobiography of an nonagenarian'', by Cicely B. Hale, published 1975 {{ISBN|0859920283}}<ref name="Hale1975">{{cite book|author=Cicely B. Hale|title=A good long time: the autobiography of an [i.e. a] nonagenarian|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N3TaAAAAMAAJ|date=18 August 1975|publisher=Rose|isbn=9780859920285}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Hale, Cicely}} Category:1884 births Category:1981 deaths Category:20th-century English writers Category:English suffragists Category:Women's Social and Political Union Category:Place of birth missing