Anna Stout

Anna Paterson Stout, Lady Stout (née Logan; 29 September 1858 – 10 May 1931) was a feminist social reformer campaigning for equal rights and education for women in both New Zealand and Great Britain. She was a founding member of the Women's Christian Temperance Movement in New Zealand, the National Council of Women of New Zealand and helped found the New Zealand Society for the Protection of Women and Children as well as playing a part in the British Suffragette movement.

Early life Anna Paterson Stout was born in Dunedin, New Zealand in 1858 to Scottish Presbyterian parents, Jessie Alexander Pollock and her husband, John Logan, a clerk to the superintendent of the Otago Province. Her parents were active in campaigning for social reforms, notably in the temperance and freethought movements, which had a life-long influence upon Stout.

From the age of 12 Stout was educated at the Girls' Provincial School, studying under Margaret Gordon Burn. Upon finishing her formal education, Stout lived with her parents in Dunedin, until her marriage in December 1876. At the age of 18 she married Robert Stout, a 32-year-old barrister and member of the New Zealand House of Representatives. Robert, a fellow Scot, was well known to the family and had been a frequent visitor, discussing freethought and the problems of the world with the Logans. She accompanied Robert to Wellington for the 1877 Parliamentary session. He became Attorney-General in March 1878. One of their children, Sir Thomas Duncan MacGregor Stout, followed in his father's footsteps as a promoter of education. He was the first chancellor of Victoria University of Wellington and received a knighthood for his services to medicine and education.

With Robert's knighthood in May 1886, she became Anna, Lady Stout.

Political activism Stout was an activist, feminist and social reformer. Central to her social and political philosophy was the view that women should have equal rights with men and be free to develop their intellectual abilities to its fullest potential. with concern for the education of Maori women in particular. Throughout her life she worked to educate women politically and campaigned to give them equal pay and equal legal rights with men.

Stout and her husband shared many social and political views, often working together through a broad network of social reformers and politicians. In Dunedin they were close colleagues of Harriet Russell Morison, and through the temperance movement with Sir William Fox, and also Julius Vogel. Robert was the lawyer for local MP William Larnach.

Stout's role as the wife of the Premier, and later Chief Justice, made her a public figure, which afforded her access to the leading personalities of her day such as Richard Seddon, George Grey, John Ballance, William Pember Reeves, Margaret Sievwright, Lord and Lady Ranfurly, Lord and Lady Liverpool, even Dr. Truby King and Dr. Duncan Macgregor.

Later years On her return to Wellington, at the age of 54, Stout settled into the role of a prominent club woman, taking part in various clubs and societies. She participated in the English-Speaking Union, the Wellington Pioneer Club, the Wellington Lyceum Club, the Wellington Women's Club, and, during the First World war, the Women's National Reserve of New Zealand. In 1917 she was involved in the revival of the National Council of Women and after the war became a member of the League of Nations Union of New Zealand.