Mary Ann McCracken
Encyclopedia
Mary Ann McCracken was a social reformer. She was born in Belfast
, the sister of the Irish rebel Henry Joy McCracken
, who was executed in Belfast following his role in the Battle of Antrim
in June 1798.
After Henry's execution in 1798 she and her sister Margaret opened a muslin business at 27 Waring Street, Belfast. Like her brother, Mary Ann held radical beliefs and these extended not just to the politics of the time, but to many social issues
, such as poverty and slavery. Mary Ann led the Women's Abolitionary committee in Belfast during the height of the anti slavery movement, wearing the famous Wedgewood brooches adorned with slave and slogan "Am I not a man and brother", and continued to promote the cause long after the spirit of radicalism
had died in Belfast. At the age of 88 she was to be seen in Belfast docks
, handing out anti-slavery
leaflets to those boarding ships bound for the United States, where slavery was still practised.
Mary Ann also shared her brothers interest in reviving the oral-music tradition of Ireland, and was a founding member of the Belfast Harp Society (1808-1813). She supported Edward Bunting
in his collecting of traditional music, introducing him to people who could help, acting as his unofficial secretary and contributed anonymously to the second volume of his work The Ancient Music of Ireland in 1809. Bunting lived with the McCrackens for thirty-five years, before moving to Dublin 1819.
In many ways Mary Ann McCracken had outlived her generation, and she commented to a friend how “Belfast, once so celebrated for its love of liberty, is now so sunk in the love of filthy lucre that there are but 16 or 17 female anti-slavery advocates and not one man though several Quakers…and none to distribute papers to American emigrants but an old woman within 17 days of 89”. By the 1850s the liberality of the 1790s had largely evaporated in the aftermath of the failure of the 1798 United Irish rebellion and the subsequent executions or exile of the leading protagonists. In 1859 Mary Ann McCracken wrote to Dr Madden saying “I am both ashamed and sorry to think that Belfast has so far degenerated in regard to the Anti-Slavery Cause”. The continued campaign of Mary Ann McCracken long after the deaths of her counterparts serves to demonstrate the strength of radicalism that existed in certain circles of Belfast society at the close of the eighteenth century.
Mary Ann was also dedicated to the poor of Belfast and as a member of the Ladies Committee took on a leading role in looking out for the interests of the poor house
. Due to her efforts a school, and later a nursery was set up to educate the orphans of Belfast. She took particular pains to find a suitable teacher, displaying a high level of dedication and compassion for her cause.
After the death of her brother, whom she tried to resuscitate for five hours after he was hanged, Mary Ann took over the care of his illegitimate daughter, Maria.
Mary Ann never married, but in her youth paid a good deal of attention to a leading United Irishman, Thomas Russell
, whom she described favourably and at great length in her diaries. She died on 26 July 1866 at the age of 96 years. She is buried with her brother, Henry Joy, in Clifton Street Cemetery
.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, the sister of the Irish rebel Henry Joy McCracken
Henry Joy McCracken
Henry Joy McCracken was an Irish industrialist and a founding member of the Society of the United Irishmen.-History:...
, who was executed in Belfast following his role in the Battle of Antrim
Battle of Antrim
The Battle of Antrim was fought on 7 June 1798, in the county Antrim in Ulster, Ireland during the Irish Rebellion of 1798 between British troops and Irish insurgents led by Henry Joy McCracken...
in June 1798.
After Henry's execution in 1798 she and her sister Margaret opened a muslin business at 27 Waring Street, Belfast. Like her brother, Mary Ann held radical beliefs and these extended not just to the politics of the time, but to many social issues
Social issues
Social issues are controversial issues which relate to people's personal lives and interactions. Social issues are distinguished from economic issues...
, such as poverty and slavery. Mary Ann led the Women's Abolitionary committee in Belfast during the height of the anti slavery movement, wearing the famous Wedgewood brooches adorned with slave and slogan "Am I not a man and brother", and continued to promote the cause long after the spirit of radicalism
Political radicalism
The term political radicalism denotes political principles focused on altering social structures through revolutionary means and changing value systems in fundamental ways...
had died in Belfast. At the age of 88 she was to be seen in Belfast docks
Port of Belfast
Belfast Harbour is a major maritime gateway in Northern Ireland, serving the Northern Ireland economy and increasingly that of the Republic of Ireland...
, handing out anti-slavery
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
leaflets to those boarding ships bound for the United States, where slavery was still practised.
Mary Ann also shared her brothers interest in reviving the oral-music tradition of Ireland, and was a founding member of the Belfast Harp Society (1808-1813). She supported Edward Bunting
Edward Bunting
Edward Bunting was an Irish musician and folk music collector.-Life:Bunting was born in County Armagh, Ireland. At the age of seven he was sent to study music at Drogheda and at eleven he was apprenticed to William Ware, organist at St. Anne's church in Belfast and lived with the family of Henry...
in his collecting of traditional music, introducing him to people who could help, acting as his unofficial secretary and contributed anonymously to the second volume of his work The Ancient Music of Ireland in 1809. Bunting lived with the McCrackens for thirty-five years, before moving to Dublin 1819.
In many ways Mary Ann McCracken had outlived her generation, and she commented to a friend how “Belfast, once so celebrated for its love of liberty, is now so sunk in the love of filthy lucre that there are but 16 or 17 female anti-slavery advocates and not one man though several Quakers…and none to distribute papers to American emigrants but an old woman within 17 days of 89”. By the 1850s the liberality of the 1790s had largely evaporated in the aftermath of the failure of the 1798 United Irish rebellion and the subsequent executions or exile of the leading protagonists. In 1859 Mary Ann McCracken wrote to Dr Madden saying “I am both ashamed and sorry to think that Belfast has so far degenerated in regard to the Anti-Slavery Cause”. The continued campaign of Mary Ann McCracken long after the deaths of her counterparts serves to demonstrate the strength of radicalism that existed in certain circles of Belfast society at the close of the eighteenth century.
Mary Ann was also dedicated to the poor of Belfast and as a member of the Ladies Committee took on a leading role in looking out for the interests of the poor house
Poorhouse
A poorhouse or workhouse was a government-run facility in the past for the support and housing of dependent or needy persons, typically run by a local government entity such as a county or municipality....
. Due to her efforts a school, and later a nursery was set up to educate the orphans of Belfast. She took particular pains to find a suitable teacher, displaying a high level of dedication and compassion for her cause.
After the death of her brother, whom she tried to resuscitate for five hours after he was hanged, Mary Ann took over the care of his illegitimate daughter, Maria.
Mary Ann never married, but in her youth paid a good deal of attention to a leading United Irishman, Thomas Russell
Thomas Russell (rebel)
Thomas Paliser Russell was a co-founder and leader of the United Irishmen was executed for his part in Robert Emmet's rebellion in 1803.-Background:...
, whom she described favourably and at great length in her diaries. She died on 26 July 1866 at the age of 96 years. She is buried with her brother, Henry Joy, in Clifton Street Cemetery
Clifton Street Cemetery
Clifton Street Cemetery, Belfast, holds the graves of a number of Belfast's most distinguished figures. The cemetery, whose entrance is at Henry Place in Belfast, is cared for by Belfast City Council and can only be accessed by prior arrangement with council officials. The cemetery contains the...
.
External links
- The Dictionary of National Biography (includes photo)