14 Facts About Mabel Palmer

Mabel Palmer known as Mabel Atkinson in her first career, was a British-born, suffragist, journalist and lecturer.

Mabel Palmer Atkinson was born on 22 May 1876 in Broomley, Northumberland, England to Jane and John Boland Atkinson.

Mabel Palmer's father was an inspector of mines, and her mother an activist suffragette, who were progressive, believing in both women's education and employment.

Mabel Palmer obtained a Master of Arts degree in 1900 with honours, earning the medal for most distinguished graduate of arts.

Mabel Palmer's research, the first survey of Local Government in Scotland was published in 1904 and was an endorsement of reform.

Mabel Palmer published articles in the Daily News on feminist and political themes including topics on celibacy as a prerequisite for women's employment, suffrage, the gold standard and trade unions and wrote an economics textbook with Margaret McKillop in 1911.

Mabel Palmer argued that barring married women from working forced them to be celibate and childless.

Mabel Palmer was tasked with teaching adult education courses through the WEA, which was affiliated with the college.

Mabel Palmer taught at the Technical High School and at the normal school, on subjects such as civics and history, and taught courses at trade unions and the YWCA on themes dealing with banking, currency, industry and the cost of living.

Mabel Palmer was involved in the development of a university in Durban and after a decade, the efforts were successful.

Mabel Palmer supported the segregation of non-white students as a step within the colonial framework to expand education to non-elites, as during her own education, segregating women from men allowed women university education for the first time.

In 1955, Mabel Palmer retired for the second time, but continued publishing.

Mabel Palmer was one of the main collaborators of the 1956 Council of the South African Institute of Race Relations publication, The Indian as a South African.

Mabel Palmer died on 16 November 1958 at her home in Durban and was buried in the Stellawood Cemetery.