Eva Gore-Booth (1870 – 1926)

Flower Festival 2012:

Arranged by Rosemary Gaskell Taylor in memory of Hazel Riches and Vanessa Anthony.

Born in Ireland to an Anglo-Irish family, Eva made a name for herself through her championing of the rights of women – to work, to vote, to join unions.  She had the example of her father who helped his tenants, providing free food during the famine of 1879-80 and always treating them fairly.

On the left is a representation of Eva produced by pupils studying Eva as part of their involvement  in the 2012 Schools Project

In spite of her busy life Eva found time to write plays and poetry, her recurring themes being her love of nature and Christian mysticism.

Eva never enjoyed good health and after the First World War her health deteriorated and she retired to Hampstead (14 Frognal Gardens) with her friend Esther Roper.

Flowers used reflect the suffragettes’ colours of Green, White, Violet (Give Women Votes) the Bells of Ireland her Irish upbringing.  Hydrangeas stand for friendship and have medicinal properties, being still used in herbal medicine as a tonic, which reflect Eva’s poor health.

click once on the image

This page was last updated on July 18th, 2012.