Helen MacRae

Helen MacRae (fl. 1909–1914) was a British suffragette who won a Hunger Strike Medal from the Women's Social and Political Union, and was one of those who embroidered the Suffragette's Handkerchief whilst in prison.

Life Macrae and her sister Georgiana supported women's suffrage. In 1909, they both adopted a 2-year-old girl from South Wales, Hilda Maud. Their third sister was Betty. and others to establish the East Grinstead Suffrage Society (EGSS).

In 1912, MacRae broke the windows of London toyshop, Hamleys in Regent Street, causing damage valued as £200. On 6 March she appeared at Bow Street Court and was bailed by Mrs Cecil Chapman (whose husband was a magistrate at Tower Bridge Court and was sympathetic to the women's cause). She was awarded the WSPU Hunger Strike Medal 'for Valour.' known as The Suffragette Handkerchief'. The cloth was smuggled out by Mary Ann Hilliard and is now held in the collection at Priest House, West Hoathly. Leslie/Schütze described MacRae as 'gentle and sweet' and whose interests were "darning, embroidering, cooking, bottling, jam-making' whilst Georgie was more of an outdoorsman and Betty interested in local children and country-dancing. and was sold to academic collector for £12,300. were also sold.