A SUFFRAGETTE and pioneer of women’s rights has been commemorated with a plaque outside her former home.

A blue plaque has been unveiled in memory of Myra Sadd Brown, a suffragette who campaigned for women’s rights in the early 1900s.

Mrs Sadd Brown was born in 1872 and lived at Mount View in West Chase until she was married in 1896 to Ernest Brown.

The plaque dedicated to her was unveiled yesterday by Essex Lord Lieutenant Jennifer Tolhurst.

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Essex Heritage Trust and the Maldon Society supported the plaque as part of their mission to expand the public’s appreciation of Maldon’s heritage.

Maldon District Council chairman Bob Boyce and Maldon town mayor Andrew Lay were in attendance as the plaque was unveiled.

Myra’s granddaughter Diana Dollery was in attendance among many family members.

She said: “Born the last daughter of ten children to a liberal family, one can almost hear the age-old childhood cry ‘It isn’t fair’.

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“But as she grew older the world wasn’t fair to women either and she campaigned for the vote, joining the militants in 1906.

“In March 1912, as part of a major demonstration in London, she threw a brick through a War Office window, was arrested, sentenced to two months hard labor and force-fed.

READ MORE>>> Plaque to be unveiled for famous Maldon suffragette who fought for women's rights

“Again, she felt their treatment wasn’t fair.

“The force-feeding was cruel, but the petty restrictions were unnecessary.

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“She went on to support Sylvia Pankhurst’s efforts to bring the message to the East End.

“After the First World War, although women over 30 had gained a limited franchise on a very unfair basis, she and others went on to found the British Commonwealth League to fight for rights of all women.

“At the same time they were fighting for the extension of the vote to all British women, not to mention equal pay, separate taxation and ordination of women.”

Mrs Dollery urged people to make the most of the rights her grandmother fought for.

She said: “Of course the world has changed since then. Most of the battles she fought have been won, but goodness they took a long time.

“There are still injustices to correct, battles to be fought, as well as making the most of the opportunities that she and others won for us.”