An ornamental birdbath, tucked away by the Business School, bears witness to an enduring love between two of the University’s early feminist pioneers.
Margery Fry (front, centre) and Rose Sidgwick (front, right) with residents of University House Cadbury Research Library: Special Collections, University of Birmingham
Dedicated with an inscription to Rose Sidgwick, the birdbath commemorates the University’s first female history lecturer. It was commissioned by her partner, Margery Fry, to mark a relationship cut short by war and enormous bad luck.
Rose came to Birmingham in 1905 and worked here until 1918. She is remembered for her support of women in university education and, in addition to her lecturing work, she worked alongside Margery running Birmingham’s first women’s hall of residence in University House, now part of the Business School.
The two women had known each other before moving to Birmingham: they both had been educated at the University of Oxford and met while working at the library in Somerville College.
Like Rose, Margery was also an accomplished academic and passionate about social reform. She later became one of the first women magistrates in Britain and campaigned for penal reform.
The two women became inseparable during their time at Birmingham. Stories about their relationship chart a joyful romance filled with laughter and fun. They organised events for their students, including dances, plays and sports, with a house principle being essentially ‘the right to be silly’. This principle was part of their commitment to equality in higher education: like male students, they should have the right to be both serious and silly at University.
They also enjoyed quieter hobbies including needlework and birdwatching and wrote poetry to each other as gifts. Margery kept the poems that Rose sent to her for the rest of her life; the verses were filled with love, signed with epithets including ‘yours that loves you more every day.’
Margery Fry with the ornamental birdbath Cadbury Research Library: Special Collections, University of Birmingham
During the First World War Margery became involved with the Friends’ War Victims Relief and travelled to France to help nurse war victims and support relief efforts. Letters written by Rose during this time are full of longing and concern for Margery’s wellbeing.
In 1918, Margery was invited to join a British women’s educational mission to America. She couldn’t go because her father was seriously ill, so Rose went in her place. The mission led to the founding of the International Federation of University Women, a ground-breaking step in the recognition of women’s education.
But throughout 1918 the Great Influenza pandemic was starting to take hold and during her trip Rose became ill. She died that winter in New York, just as she was getting ready to return to the UK.
Rose’s inscription is included in the University’s First World War memorial outside the Great Hall in the Aston Webb Building. Only a handful of women are listed on the memorial and Rose was recognised because in going to the US to represent Britain, she was representing her country and, in succumbing to illness, she also died for her country.
Heartbreakingly, Margery was never notified of Rose’s illness so was not able to send her a last message. She heard of Rose’s death only afterwards, via telegram.
Margery commissioned the birdbath to honour Rose and her love of nature and to remember their time spent birdwatching together. Even after leaving Birmingham, and returning to Oxford, she continued to send money for the upkeep of the birdbath and to preserve Rose’s feminist legacy.
With thanks to Professor Mo Moulton
Professor of Modern British and Irish History
Biographical and contact information for Professor Mo Moultion, Professor of Modern British and Irish History, Department of History, University of Birmingham.
