Mary Wollstonecraft was an English writer and a passionate advocate for women’s rights and equality, particularly in education. She lived in Southwark and made significant contributions to feminist thought.

In 1792, Wollstonecraft published A Vindication of the Rights of Women, a ground breaking book that called for equal education and treatment for both women and men. Drawing from her own experiences as a teacher and governess, she critiqued an educational system that trained women to be “frivolous and incapable.”

Wollstonecraft argued that girls should have the same educational opportunities as boys and should not be relegated to the roles of wives and mothers alone. Instead, she envisioned women as vital contributors to society and the economy.

Today, A Vindication of the Rights of Women remains one of the most influential works in feminism, inspiring generations in the quest for equality. To learn more about Mary Wollstonecraft, visit her plaque at 42 Dolben Street.

Image credit: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, oil on canvas by Richard Rothwell, first exhibited 1840; in the National Portrait Gallery, London.

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