THE LIFE and work of a former Malvern woman has been honoured after a new blue plaque was unveiled in the town.
Mayor of Malvern Coun Cynthia Palmer unveiled the plaque to remember Edith Smallwood, who dedicated her life to helping women in poverty.
Ms Smallwood made a significant contribution to the poorest women in society and her legacy endures today.
The daughter of a Yorkshire banker, she inherited a large sum of money at the age of 16 and believed passionately in helping those less fortunate than herself.
She founded the Smallwood Trust, then known as the Society for the Assistance of Ladies in Reduced Circumstances, and began collecting additional sums of money to benefit women who, through ill-health or old age, were unable to support themselves.
She also encouraged these women to help themselves by selling items of needlework such as embroidery, knitting and tapestry.
Ms Smallwood first lived in Malvern from 1897 until 1909, when she moved to London until the outbreak of the First World War. She returned to Malvern in 1916 and after the war she spent her time between Malvern and London.
Throughout this time, the Smallwood Trust continued to be based in Malvern and it has operated for more than 100 years from Lancaster House on Hornyold Road, where the plaque can be found.
Her Majesty the Queen became patron of the trust in 1952 and significantly, the plaque is one of only 14 per cent of Blue Plaques across the country which honour women.
A trust spokesperson said: “Miss Smallwood’s incredible legacy lives on today. The Trust’s mission is to enable women on low incomes to be financially resilient; it does this by providing grants for both individual women in need, and organisations that support women, either through local projects or policy work aimed at improving economic outcomes for women.”
