Journalist
Rebecca West
Cecily Fairfield was the daughter of Isabella Campbell Mackenzie and Charles Fairfield. She was born in London. When her father deserted the family in 1901, her mother returned to her native Edinburgh.
She trained as an actress in London, taking the name "Rebecca West" from the rebellious young heroine in Rosmersholm by Henrik Ibsen. Her acting career was short lived as she turned to journalism. She had a son, Anthony, by H.G. Wells in 1914.
Catherine Roxburgh Carswell
Catherine R. Macfarlane was born in Glasgow, one of four children of George Macfarlane, merchant, and Mary Anne Lewis. She was educated at the Park School, Glasgow, the Frankfurt Conservatorium and Glasgow University.
In 1904 she married Herbert Jackson. Their daughter Diana was born in 1905. However, Jackson's mental health deteriorated to the point that he was permanently hospitalised and the marriage was annulled.
During this time she worked for The Glasgow Herald as a reviewer.
Sue Innes
Judith Mary MacGregor
Judith Mary MacGregor was born in Dollar, Clachmannanshire in 1940. She studied Law at Edinburgh University and had a short legal career.
In 1962 she married David Martin Scott Steel (born 31 March 1938) whom she met a university. He is a politician, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Lord (Baron) Steel of Aikwood and now Life Peer in the House of Lords. They have 3 children: Graeme, Catriona Judith born 1967 and Rory, as well as an adopted son William (Billy).
Dolores Ibárruri
Dolores Ibárruri was born on 9th December 1895, in the Basque mining village of Gallarta, near Bilbao, Spain, the eighth of eleven children...
She died on 12th November in Madrid
Rachel Annand Taylor
Rachel Annand was born in Aberdeen. Her father was a stone mason and an active trade unionist. She was one of the first women to study at Aberdeen University. Despite excelling academically, she did not complete her degree. She taught at the High School for Girls, in the building now occupied by Harlaw Academy. She married Alexander Cameron Taylor in 1901, but the marriage was not a happy one. She published four volumes of poetry between 1904 and 1923. She also published books on the Italian Renaissance and the poet Dunbar. She died in London in 1960.
Catherine Spence
Catherine Helen Spence was born in Melrose, the daughter of Helen Brodie, and David Spence, banker, lawyer and clerk. The fifth of eight children, she began her education in Melrose, then, due to her father’s ruinous investments the family emigrating to South Australia in 1839. There she worked as a governess, and later ran her own school.
She wrote several novels, the first of which, Clara Morison (1854), tells the story of a young Scottish orphan making her way in South Australia.