Selina Cooper

Selina Jane Cooper (née Coombe; 4 December 1864 – 11 November 1946)[1] was an English suffragist and the first woman to represent the Independent Labour Party (ILP) in 1901 when she was elected as a Poor Law Guardian.

[3] She was an early member of the Nelson Social Democratic Federation (SDF), and later founded a branch of the party in Brierfield.

[2] In the provinces she with Ada Nield Chew and Margaret Aldersley were experienced labour activists in Lancashire.

[3] Selina Cooper's house at 59 St Mary's Street, Nelson is marked with a heritage blue plaque.

[6] In 2015, she was the subject of a play by the Function Factory theatre in Nelson titled "Hard-Faced Woman".