The Times/1906/Obituary/Henrietta Muller

A correspondent writes:—Miss Henrietta Muller, who died on January 4 at Washington, United States of America, was at one time one of the hardest workers on the London School board, and in a real intimate sense the friend of the women teachers to a singular degree. She was born in Valparaiso, and her education was for the most part not that of the school. She was one of the early Girton students who when past girlhood eagerly embraced the new opportunities for the higher education of women. In 1879, upon the advice of Mr and Mrs, Henry Fawcett, she stood in the Lambeth Division for election to the School Board, was returned at the head of the poll for London, and preside at the first meeting of the new Board. As a member, she was independent of party, and some of her most valuable work consisted in carrying small practical reforms suggested to her by her contact visiting at the schools and her close relations with the teachers. For the sake of the children's eyesight, she sought and obtained a reduction in the number of stitches per inch required in the schools—a number which she proved to exceed that in the finest work sold in the best London shops! Her heart was in the "women's movement." While still at Girton she contributed to start the Women's Printing Society, and was in touch with Mrs. Paterson's initial efforts in establishing women's trade unions. She founded the Society for the Return of Women as Poor Law Guardians, and was its first secretary. In March, 1882, she presided at the public meeting which appointed a provisional committee for establishing near University College and the London School of Medicine for Women a hall of residence for women students, now known as College-hall. For the enfranchisement of women she worked unremittingly to the end of her life. She started a weekly penny paper for women, which for many years held its own and supplied news of the work of women and the progress of the women's cause. She travelled much and alone, not only in Europe and America, but also in Asia, and she spent several years in India. For part of this time she lived as a native among the natives in the hills, and she was able to secure in some degree better treatment for the women.