Her mother was Mary Darby (born Dickinson) and her father was Charles Sturge who was once Mayor of Birmingham.
[1] The Birmingham Women's Suffrage Society was formed in 1868 and in 1871 Sturge became its secretary.
[3] In 1872 she, as BWSS President, gave a rousing speech in support of women getting the vote on the same platform as Millicent Fawcett at Birmingham Town Hall.
Her contributions during her time on the board were said to be impressive but her views were frequently overshadowed by the existing male patriarchy.
Mary Sturge was able to certify the death[1] as she had benefited from a medical education and she became a surgeon in that year.