Lady Frances Balfour (1858–1931)

Lady Frances Campbell was born at Argyll Lodge in Kensington, London, the tenth child of George Douglas Campbell, 8th Duke of Argyll, the Liberal politician, and his wife Lady Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower. Both the Duke and Duchess of Argyll were supporters of the Liberal Party in Parliament, and Lady Frances knew from childhood about their involvement in different campaigns for social reform. She was in constant pain from hip joint disease but led an active life. In 1879, she married Eustace Balfour, nephew of the Prime Minister Lord Salisbury and younger brother of the future Prime Minister Arthur Balfour. It was an unhappy union, and the couple spent longer and longer times apart. Lady Frances Balfour worked for greater educational opportunities for women and the vote for women. She became a close friend of many liberals and reformers such as William Gladstone, the Cecils, and the Asquiths. After women won the right to vote, Lady Frances devoted her time to writing, including articles and biographies such as Lady Victoria Campbell: A Memoir (1911), The Life and Letters of the Reverend James MacGregor (1912), Dr. Elsie Inglis (1918), The Life of George, Fourth Earl of Aberdeen (2 volumes, 1923), A Memoir of Lord Balfour of Burleigh (1925), and two volumes of her own memoirs entitled Ne Obliviscaris (1930).