Born: 21 August 1844, United Kingdom
Died: 15 September 1901
Country most active: United Kingdom
Also known as: H. Lawrenny
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Edith Jemima Simcox was a British philosopher, writer, trade union activist, and feminist. She authored numerous journal articles in publications such as Fraser’s Magazine, Fortnightly Review, The Nineteenth Century, Macmillan’s Magazine, Contemporary Review, the philosophy journal Mind, and notably The Academy. Her writings, approximately 70 in number, spanned topics including literature, philosophy, and societal matters. She often used the pseudonym “H. Lawrenny.” In the realm of philosophy, Simcox frequently engaged with German philosophical thought of her era, including reviews of Schopenhauer, Johann Georg Hamann, and Heinrich Heine. She also reviewed literary works like George Eliot’s “Middlemarch” and the Memoir of Jane Austen.
Simcox wrote “Natural Law: An Essay in Ethics” in 1877, transitioning from essays to books. In it, she explored morality as a natural phenomenon, countering the notion of morality’s dependence on religion. The book delved into government, morality, religion, and the optimal forms of social, political, and economic organization. This work garnered extensive reviews, with Mind Journal considering it a significant contribution to Evolution-Theory Ethics.
Simcox was active in politics and the labor movement. In 1875, she and Emma Paterson became the first women delegates at the Trades Union Congress. From 1879 to 1882, she served on the London School Board representing Westminster.
In 1872, while preparing a book review of “Middlemarch,” Edith Simcox met George Eliot and fell in love with her. Despite unreciprocated feelings, Simcox remained a steadfast friend. Her life’s account can be found in “Autobiography of a Shirtmaker,” edited by Fulmer and Barfield.