Born: 2 September 1840, United Kingdom
Died: 23 October 1904
Country most active: United Kingdom
Also known as: Lady Dilke, Emilia Francis Strong, Emilia Pattison
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Emilia Francis Strong Dilke, better known as Lady Dilke, was a British author, art historian, feminist, and trade unionist.
In 1864, she became a contributor to the Saturday Review. Subsequently, she served as the fine art critic of the Academy and later became its art editor in 1873. Her writings were published in numerous journals in both Britain and France.
Lady Dilke published a diverse body of work, including essays, signed and unsigned, covering a range of topics, including French politics, women’s trade unionism, and women’s work. She even authored two volumes of supernatural short stories, with a third part-volume published posthumously.
Emilia was deeply involved with the Women’s Protective and Provident League, which later transformed into the Women’s Trade Union League (WTUL) in 1874. Her commitment to this cause was unwavering, as she served as the President of the WTUL for many years until her passing.