British humanitarian (1870?1959)
Lady Pearson
|
---|
Born
| Ethel Maud Fraser
(
1870-11-03
)
3 November 1870
|
---|
Died
| 10 April 1959
(1959-04-10)
(aged 88)
|
---|
Nationality
| British
|
---|
Occupation
| Humanitarian
|
---|
Ethel Maud, Lady Pearson
,
DBE
(nee
Fraser
; 3 November 1870
[1]
– 10 April 1959) was a British
humanitarian
who was active in charities to aid the blind.
[2]
She was born in
Hampstead
, London,
[3]
the daughter of William John Fraser of
Herne Bay, Kent
,
[4]
an engineer, and his wife Jane.
[5]
On 3 June 1897, she married, as his second wife, the publisher
Arthur Pearson
, who was created a
baronet
in 1916.
[2]
She became heavily involved in
St Dunstan's
Hostel for the Blind, the home for blinded soldiers that her husband, who became blind himself, founded in 1915. For these services, she was appointed
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire
(DBE) in the
1920 Birthday Honours
.
[6]
She was also a vice-president of the
Royal National Institute for the Blind
(RNIB). She founded the Blind Musicians Concert Party, which enabled musicians who had been blinded in the war to earn a living for themselves, as well as bring in funds for St Dunstan's and the RNIB. By 1920, it had raised an estimated (equivalent to £5,074,000 in 2023). Following her husband's death in 1921 she succeeded him as president of St Dunstan's and held the position until 1947, when she was succeeded by their only son,
Sir Neville Pearson
.
[2]
Lady Pearson died on 10 April 1959, aged 88, at her home at 17 Eresby House, Rutland Gate,
Knightsbridge
, London.
[7]
- ^
Lady Ethel M Pearson in the
1939 England and Wales Register
- ^
a
b
c
"Lady (Arthur) Pearson, D.B.E.".
The Times
. 13 April 1959. p. 14.
- ^
1901 England Census
- ^
Debrett's Baronetage, Knightage, and Companionage ...
Dean & Son, limited. 1931. p. 602
. Retrieved
10 July
2017
.
- ^
London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1906
- ^
"No. 31931"
.
The London Gazette
(Supplement). 4 June 1920. p. 6318.
- ^
Staff (13 April 1959). "Deaths".
The Times
. London, England. p. 1.
PEARSON.—On April 10th, 1959, at her home in Eresby House, Rutland Gate, peacefully, after a long illness, Lady Ethel Maud Pearson, D.B.E., widow of Sir Arthur Pearson, Bt., G.B.E., founder of St. Dunstan's, and dearly loved mother of Sir Neville Pearson, Bt.