Page:Dictionary of National Biography, Second Supplement, volume 3.djvu/494

 successful in inducing the charity commissioners to restore some educational endowments to their original purposes. A zealous advocate of the reform of the industrial schools, she brought to public notice in 1882 certain scandals imputed to St. Paul's Industrial School. The home secretary instituted an inquiry, and the school was ordered to be closed. In June 1882 Thomas Scrutton, a member of the school board and chairman of its industrial schools sub-committee, brought an action for libel against Miss Taylor. Sir Henry Hawkins was the judge, (Sir) Edward Clarke was Miss Taylor's counsel, (Sir) Charles Russell, afterwards Lord Russell of Killowen, was for the plaintiff. On the fourth day, 30 June, Miss Taylor's case broke down on the plea of justification, and Miss Taylor paid the plaintiff 1000l. by consent. The judge acknowledged Miss Taylor's public spirit and exonerated her from any personal malice (cf. The Times, 28, 29, 30 June, 1, 4 July 1882). Her action brought about a drastic reform of the London industrial schools.

At the same time Miss Taylor threw herself with equal energy into political agitation. She was active in opposition to the Irish coercion policy of the liberal government of 1880-5, and was one of the most energetic supporters of the English branch of the Irish Ladies' Land League, frequently presiding at its meetings both in England and Ireland. Anna Parnell was often her guest. The causes of land nationalisation and the taxation of land values powerfully appealed to her. She was a leading member of the Land Reform Union, and of the League for Taxing Land Values, addressing in their behalf large audiences, chiefly of working men, both in England and Ireland. Her enthusiasm for land nationalisation brought her the acquaintance of Henry George, the American promoter of the policy. He stayed at her house in South Kensington in 1882. In his opinion she was ' one of the most intelligent women I ever met, if not the most intelligent' (cf., Life of Henry George, 1900).

In 1881 Miss Helen Taylor's faith in the practicability of certain socialist proposals led her to take part in the preliminary meetings for the establishment of the Democratic Federation, the forerunner of the Social Democratic Federation. She joined the first executive committee. Already, in anticipation of the federation's aims, she had given practical support to labour candidates for parliament. She personally attended on [q. v.], the first labour candidate, during his last illness in 1877. Miss Taylor consistently advocated female suffrage, believing that it would improve the morals of the people. But on 15 Aug. 1878, writing from Avignon, she positively denied a rumour that she intended to seek nomination as a parliamentary candidate for Southwark. In 1885, however, special circumstances led her to essay a parliamentary candidature. Mr. W. A. Coote, the secretary of the Vigilance Association, with the objects of which Miss Taylor closely associated herself, sought nomination as liberal candidate for North Camberwell, but was finally set aside by the party organisers. By way of protest Miss Taylor took Mr. Coote's place. Her programme included just and better laws for women, the prevention of war, and 'less work and better pay' for the working classes. A letter of support from Henry George advocating her candidature was widely circulated during her campaign. [q. v. Suppl. II] was an active worker for her. She carried on her campaign amid much turbulence until the nomination day, when the returning officer refused to receive either the nomination papers or the cash deposit for his expenses. In her electoral contest Miss Taylor attempted what no woman had done before.

Soon afterwards she relinquished public work, owing to age and failing health, and retired for some nineteen years to her house at Avignon, where she had invariably spent her holidays and where she endeared herself to the people by her generous benefactions. Stress of work told on her appearance as well as on her health. Although she had been beautiful as a girl, she acquired in middle life an aspect of sternness. But in old age some of her youthful beauty reappeared. At the end of 1904 she returned to England, and under the care of her niece. Miss Mary Taylor, settled at Torquay. She died there on 29 Jan. 1907, and was buried in the Torquay cemetery.

The laconic words on her tombstone, 'She fought for the people,' well sum up her work. Outspoken in criticism, and an untiring fighter, she never spared her opponents, but her earnestness and sincerity gained her friends not only among liberals and radicals, but among tories and even clericals, though she was hostile to the church. The Irish Roman catholics who formed the larger part of her Southwark constituents regarded her with affec-