Mary Wollstonecraft
(1759-1797)

Died aged c. 38

Mary Wollstonecraft (/ˈwʊlstənkræft/, also UK: /-krɑːft/; 27 April 1759 – 10 September 1797) was a British writer, philosopher, and advocate of women's rights. Until the late 20th century, Wollstonecraft's life, which encompassed several unconventional personal relationships at the time, received more attention than her writing. Today Wollstonecraft is regarded as one of the founding feminist philosophers, and feminists often cite both her life and her works as important influences. During her brief career, she wrote novels, treatises, a travel narrative, a history of the French Revolution, a conduct book, and a children's book. Wollstonecraft is best known for A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), in which she argues that women are not naturally inferior to men, but appear to be only because they lack education. She suggests that both men and women should be treated as rational beings and imagines a social order founded on reason. After Wollstonecraft's death, her widower published a Memoir (1798) of her life, revealing her unorthodox lifestyle, which inadvertently destroyed her reputation for almost a century. However, with the emergence of the feminist movement at the turn of the twentieth century, Wollstonecraft's advocacy of women's equality and critiques of conventional femininity became increasingly important. After two ill-fated affairs, with Henry Fuseli and Gilbert Imlay (by whom she had a daughter, Fanny Imlay), Wollstonecraft married the philosopher William Godwin, one of the forefathers of the anarchist movement. Wollstonecraft died at the age of 38 leaving behind several unfinished manuscripts. She died 11 days after giving birth to her second daughter, Mary Shelley, who would become an accomplished writer and the author of Frankenstein.

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Commemorated on 6 plaques

In a house on this site lived Mary Wollstonecraft author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman 1759-1797

Oakshott Court, Werrington Street, NW1, London, United Kingdom where they lived

Mary Wollstonecraft 1759 to 1797 Writer, teacher and champion of women's rights

45 Dolben Street, Borough, London, United Kingdom where they lived

Mary Wollstonecraft 1759-1797 Author of ‘A Vindication of the Rights of Woman’ Pioneer of women’s rights and mother of Mary Shelley Stayed in a house on this site in 1784 and lived early years in Hoxton.

373-5 Mare Street, The Narroway, London, United Kingdom where they stayed

In this churchyard lie the mortal remains of Mary Shelley author of "Frankenstein" her father William author of "Political Justice" her mother Mary author of "The Rights of Women" her son Percy, Jane his wife and the heart of Percy Bysshe her husband the poet

St Peter's, Bournemouth, United Kingdom where they was buried (1797)

Mary Wollstonecraft 1759 - 1797 Writer, teacher and feminist opened a school for girls near this site in 1784

Newington Green Primary School, Matthias Road, N16 8NP, London, United Kingdom where they opened (1784)

On this site stood the cottage (mentioned in Frankenstein) visited by Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin 1812 - 1814

South Baffin Street, Dundee, United Kingdom where they visited (1812-1814)