Isabella Ford

Isabella Ormston Ford (1855–1924) was an English social reformer, suffragist and writer. She became a public speaker and wrote pamphlets on issues related to socialism, feminism and worker's rights. After becoming concerned with the rights of female mill workers at an early age, Ford became involved with trade union organisation in the 1880s. A member of the national administrative council of the Independent Labour Party, she was the first woman to speak at a Labour Representation Committee (which became the British Labour Party) conference.

Isabella Ford was born 23 May 1855 in Headingley, Leeds, in the north of England. She was the youngest of eight children of Quakers Robert Lawson Ford and Hannah (née Pease). Her mother was a cousin of abolitionist Elizabeth Pease Nichol. Her father was a solicitor who ran a local night-school for mill-girls. Contact with these girls gave Ford and her sisters an insight into class differences and an interest in working conditions. When she was 16, she began teaching at her father's school.

In the 1880s, Ford became involved with trade unions. She worked with tailoresses who were campaigning for better working conditions; she helped them to form a trade union and was involved when they went on strike in 1889. In 1890–91, she marched with workers from Manningham Mills in Bradford. As a result of her involvement, she was elected a life member of the Leeds Trades and Labour Council.

She helped found the Leeds Independent Labour Party (ILP) and was president of the Leeds Tailoresses' Union. Her concerns were trade union organisation, socialism and female suffrage. She overcame a natural shyness to become an experienced public speaker, speaking at many meetings related to socialism, workers' rights and women's emancipation. She wrote many pamphlets, as well as a column in the Leeds Forward. In 1895 she was elected parish councillor for Adel cum Eccup in Leeds.

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