Alice Arman

Last year we at Swindon Suffragette celebrated the centenary of some women (those over thirty and with a property qualification) achieving the vote in 1918.

However, this momentous event was only part of the story of women’s enfranchisement. It would be another ten years before all women over the age of 21 were able to vote on a par with men.

Struggle and Suffrage in Coventry, the first in a new series of Woman of History titles published by Pen and Sword, appeared in August 2018 to mark this significant anniversary. Recently released books include my own about the women of Swindon along with others about the women of Windsor and Glasgow.

And now I would like to introduce you to another extraordinary Swindon woman, an incomer like so many others in the town. Unfortunately Alice has only recently been brought to my attention, so does not appear in my book. 

At the time of the 1891 census Alice (sometimes referred to as Alison) and her first husband, William Fairclough, were living at 3 East Vermont Street in the Govan district of Glasgow with their three children, Mary, William and Alice. 

The family moved to Swindon in around 1893 when  William, secured a job as a boilermaker in the Works.

Industrial New Swindon probably looked quite familiar to Alice who had grown up in Oldham, Lancashire where her parents ran a greengrocer's shop. But sadly the move to Swindon didn’t herald a brave new future for the family as William died that same year.

By 1896 Alice had remarried and it is under the name of Alice (Alison) Arman that we discover just how active she was in her new local community.

In 1909 Alice was involved with the Bridge Street Men's Adult School. An article published in the Swindon Advertiser on February 26, 1909 reporting on a recent meeting when 'at the Social Hour at eight p.m. Mrs A. Arman read, by request, her paper entitled "From Gypsy Lane to the Workhouse" to an appreciative audience'  a subject no doubt informed by her work with the Poor Law Board of Guardians.

In 1894 the Local Government Act enabled the election of women to the Poor Law Board of Guardians for the first time. In Swindon Maria Matthews, Elizabeth Williams, Elizabeth House and Elinor Buller were the first four women to serve as Guardians.

At the beginning of the 20th century Alice was also elected a member. We know she served as a Guardian for several years because an election in 1922 produced some shock results. Seven of the old members were defeated including Mrs Elizabeth Williams, the Deputy Mayor Alderman E. Jones and Mrs Alice Arman.

Alice continued with her community work after the First World War when she served as secretary of the Comrades' Club, which met at Bridge Street.

In 1920 Alice unsuccessfully stood as one of six Labour candidates in Swindon's local elections, however, her political colleague Mrs Ellen Anglesea Tanner won the West Ward seat for the Labour party.

Alice died at her home in Princes Street aged 68. She was buried three days before Christmas 1927 in plot C24a in Radnor Street Cemetery.

Join me in the Library Shop at Swindon Central Library on Saturday June 29 between 11 and 1, where I will be signing copies of my book – and if you have a story to tell about a woman from your Swindon family history, I’d love to hear it.


Alice (Alison) Arman photo published courtesy of Gordon Dykes


Swindon born suffragette Edith New


Maria Matthews - one of the first four women to be elected on to the Poor Law Board of Guardians