A Liverpool Exemplar - Jeannie Mole

Harriet Fisher Jones was born on the 2nd of May 1841 in Edgeworth Street,Warrington to Evan Jones, a Whitesmith, and later a store manager, and Harriet Jones. As her mum's name was also Harriet, the baby was called Jeannie. At 19 she married Italian Warehouseman and later Fruit Merchant, Robert Willis and the couple travelled to New York City, where she became involved in the black rights movement at a time when slavery was yet to be abolished. Then, in allegedly controversial circumstances, Jeanie divorced Robert and married another fruit merchant, William Keartland Mole, the son of a wealthy Liverpool jeweller, with the marriage witnessed by Jeannie's son, as well as her brother.

On her return to England, she and her husband settled in London and had a son, Robert Frederick Evan Willis, better known as Fred. Here her social conscience was reinforced as she worked in London’s slums before moving to Liverpool with Mr Mole in 1879, living at 96 Bold Street, and began her quest to improve the lives of Liverpudlians living in poverty. Jeanie found just six socialists in Liverpool so  hosted propaganda meetings at her home on Bold Street and, assisted by her son Fred Willis, formed the Worker’s Brotherhood in 1886, the first socialist society in Liverpool. Her husband supported her socialist activities while she also helped him in his business. The Brotherhood went on to form the Liverpool branch of the Fabian Society, which Jeannie became vice president of in 1895. She also focused on more practical solutions for social issues, for example, funding a 'socialist food van' at a cost of £55 6s 5d as she recognised that people could not "afford out of their wages such food as would give them energy and vigour." She also campaigned for a 'People’s Hall' for the working classes.

In 1888, Jeannie, with the Workers' Brotherhood, started to campaign to unionise the female workers in Liverpool into female-only unions and in 1889 she helped set up and act as secretary of the Liverpool Workwomen's Society, which represented book-folders, tailors and cigar makers. These were poorly paid trades and women dominated them – there were four women for every man. Later, the Society became the Liverpool Society for the Promotion of Women’s Trade Unions, expanding its membership to other trades in response to the city council's inaction over the appalling conditions in sweatshops. Jeannie set up various unions including one for laundresses and washerwomen, most of whom were Chinese. In 1894, Clementina Black set up the Women’s Industrial Council and Jeanie quickly helped found a Liverpool branch. Unions then sprang up for upholsteresses and marine sorters (or fish processers). In this role, Jeannie stepped up inquiries into working conditions for women and when an industrial accident killed a woman at the Old Swan Rope Works she attended the case as secretary of the 'society for inquiring into the conditions of working women''. Determined that the bosses wouldn’t just sweep the tragedy under the carpet, she also ensured that a factory inspector attended, that the jury made recommendations to prevent future accidents, and that compensation was paid to the woman's next of kin

In 1895, Jeannie leveraged her position in the Liverpool Women's Industrial Council to encourage Liverpool’s women rope workers to strike as they were being fined for minor wrong doings, such as turning up late for work. The strike was a success but other parts of the council, led by Eleanor Rathbone, disapproved of the action with the result that Jeannie distanced herself from the group that she had helped to found.

Jeannie wasn't going to let the restrictive clothes of the era hold her back either. As an early supporter of dress reform, a feminist movement against impractical, uncomfortable Victorian fashion, Jeannie wore a comfy Grecian-style gown with other prominent socialists like Julia Dawson soon copying her style. She also created and edited the 'women's page' of the Liverpool Labour Chronicle newspaper.

Jeannie suffered a heart attack in 1896 and the ensuing illness saw her taking a step back from organisational work the following year. Her son, Fred, died in 1905 and on the 15th of April 1912, whilst on holiday in Paris, Jeannie also died.
Following a motion by Councillors Laura Robertson-Collins and Hetty Wood, which was approved at Full Council in November 2017, a plaque was installed on Saturday the 10th of March 2018 on Bold Street, acknowledging the integral role Jeannie played in bringing socialism to Liverpool.

see also:- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2021/02/a-liverpool-exemplar-jesse-hartley.html