Background
Alice Acland was born on 3 February 1849 to Reverend Francis Macaulay Cunningham and Alice Charlotte Poore. She grew up in Hampshire and Oxford, and received a church education.
founder General Secretary president
Alice Acland was born on 3 February 1849 to Reverend Francis Macaulay Cunningham and Alice Charlotte Poore. She grew up in Hampshire and Oxford, and received a church education.
Alice"s husband was an advocate for educational opportunities for working-class mentor She traveled with him on speaking tours which led to her own involvement in providing more opportunities for working-class women. She noted the value of The Cooperative Movement and its potential to provide opportunities for women, as women held purchasing power for their households.
Acland began writing articles about women"s lives for Cooperative News.
On 6 January 1883, Cooperative News editor Samuel Bamford created the column Women"s Corner and appointed Acland as editors Her first appeal set in motion women"s role in the Cooperative movement, stating:
Her column"s popularity led to coordination of the Women"s League for the Spread of Company-operation, soon after renamed the Company-operative Women"s Guild.
The Guild was formally inaugurated in June 1883. Acland served as General Secretary of the guild in 1883, but resigned from the position due to ill-health.
She served as President from 1884–1886, again resigning due to further health problems.
