Margaret Fell

Kate Peters (University of Cambridge)
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Margaret Fell (1614-1702), a gentlewoman born in Lancashire, was a founding member and leader of the Quaker movement, a pamphleteer and political lobbyist on behalf of the Quakers, a key figure in establishing separate women’s meetings who in later life married George Fox, renowned as the founder of Quakerism. She is best known as the author of

Women’s Speaking Justified

(1666), an early justification of the right of women to preach.

Margaret Askew was born at Marsh Grange, near Dalton, in Furness, Lancashire, in 1614. Her father, John Askew, was a gentleman of some standing in this remote and relatively poor county. In 1632 Margaret married a local gentleman, Thomas Fell (1598/9-1658), and moved to his nearby family home, Swarthmore Hall, which still stands today. They had nine

2769 words

Citation: Peters, Kate. "Margaret Fell". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 24 April 2015 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=1497, accessed 19 March 2024.]

1497 Margaret Fell 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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