She performed strongly at school and hoped to become a teacher, but this did not pay enough for her to contribute to her family's upkeep, so she instead became a domestic servant in Workington.
The two soon married, and moved to London, where James found work with the Labour Representation Committee (LRC).
By 1905, there had been several suggestions that the group should find a way in which non-working women could assist it and benefit from its political education.
[2] The group developed rapidly over the next few years, but Middleton was diagnosed with cancer in 1909, and died early in 1911.
[3] MacDonald started the process of founding a baby clinic in Middleton's memory, but also died later in the year.