Matilda Ashurst Biggs

Alongside her family, Matilda Biggs promoted progressive domestic and foreign causes, especially working for women's equality in Britain and Italian unification.

[5][6][7][8] In 1837, Matilda married a businessman, Joseph Biggs (1809–1895) whose two older brothers John and William would serve as Members of Parliament from Leicester.

[13] She entertained Ralph Waldo Emerson on his visit to England in 1847 and her correspondences to him are preserved in the special collections archived at Harvard University's Houghton Library.

[15] Matilda was very involved with the movement promoting Italian unification and was close with Giuseppe Mazzini who became like another brother to the Ashurst family and was a houseguest at the Biggs residence.

[21] She signed the 1866 petition calling for female suffrage presented in Parliament by John Stuart Mill and subscribed to the Enfranchisement of Women Committee.

[25] Caroline Ashurst Biggs became a leader in women's rights campaigns in Britain and served as the editor of The Englishwoman's Review from 1871 until her death.

[27][28] Their sister Maude was also involved in politics; she devoted herself to the cause of Polish nationalism and published English translations of Adam Mickiewicz's poetry in addition to 23 articles on a variety of local and international topics in The Englishwoman's Review.