Mary Taylor (women's rights advocate)

Mary Taylor (1817-1893) was a British writer, feminist, and shopkeeper, known for her radical views on women's rights and her close friendship with Charlotte Brontë. Born into a wealthy family in Gomersal, Yorkshire, she received a relatively unconventional education for a woman of her time, fostering independent thought and intellectual curiosity.

Taylor's feminist ideals were shaped by her personal experiences and observations of the limited opportunities available to women in Victorian society. She challenged traditional gender roles and advocated for economic independence for women, believing it was essential for their liberation and empowerment. She openly criticized the restrictive societal expectations placed upon women, particularly in regards to marriage and domesticity.

In 1845, Taylor emigrated to New Zealand, where she established a draper's shop in Wellington. Her business, which she ran independently, allowed her to put her feminist principles into practice and provided a livelihood for herself. Her experiences in New Zealand further solidified her views on independence and self-reliance.

Taylor returned to England in 1860 and continued to advocate for women's rights through her writing. Her most notable work, Miss Miles; or, A Tale of Yorkshire Life (1890), explores themes of female education, economic independence, and the constraints of Victorian society. She also contributed articles to various periodicals, expressing her progressive and often controversial opinions on a range of social and political issues.

Mary Taylor's unwavering commitment to women's rights, her independent spirit, and her thought-provoking writings made her a significant figure in the early feminist movement. While less widely known than some of her contemporaries, her contributions to feminist thought and her personal example of female independence continue to be recognized and appreciated.