St. Paul daily globe., 1888-01-29
BRAVE LONDON LADIES.
Englishwomen Who Have Made a
Success of Business in Spite of
Prejudices.

EngliShwomen Who Have Made a
Success of Business in Spite Of
Prejudices.
The first lady 1 knew who ventured
into business was Hon. Mrs. Maberley.
She opened milk shop in London; her
carts and bill-headS bore her name in
full, and she was simply untiring in her
personal supervision of her shop. No
paltry pride or caste kept her from do
ing her work as head of that establish
ment; but her successful career was cut
short by an illness which unhappily
proved fatal. Women of position can
afford to lead the way for their Strug-
CLING sisters, and as an example is worth
any number of arguments | propose to
record two most successful experiments
in similar directions. says London let
ter to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Some years ago became acquainted
with bright, clever girl, whose father
was well-knOwn Yorkshire lawyer.
She was then Queens college student;
on returning home she entered with
great spirit into the usual engagements
which come to an ordinary young lady
in society. After q time they palled
upon her, and she expended great deal
of energy in philanthropic efforts;
finally she determined OH a career of
honorable work rather than life of dull
inactivity or intermittent charitable en-
terpriSeS, and, casting off the shackles
which impriSOn weaker women, she
dared to be herSelf-not the reflection of
a mere class. She WELT through course
of training, studied house decorations
from hearth tiles to frieze painting, Wis
tied all the places where she
could find antique furniture
and the newest inventions-in
short, thoroughly qualified herself
for the business in which she has since
ago, after having had great success in
London, where she furnished houses
from roof to basement, Miss Charlotte
Robinson came to Manchester and
opened shop in King street, and re-
gardleSS of that bugbear which terrifies
most women-the loss of social status
she put up her own name over the door.
and without the least self assertion
quietly entered into competition with the
Sterner sex. The result has been emf
nently satisfactory. This year Miss
Robinson has had, in addition to her Or
dinary. business, two exhibits which
have attracted unSiversal admiration,
one at Saltaire and the other at the
year she proposes to exhibit at Glasgow
and DO sibly at Brussels. Her furniture
designs are simple and unique; she has
dainty and quaint arrangements for
cosy hooks and ODD corners, and
has good reason to be proud of the
work of the artists employed in the
studio over which her clever sister,
Mrs. Mcclellan, is the presiding genius.
Miss Robinson had at first some diff
Guilty in making people understand that
her work is really commercial, not
charitable. She feels that until a
healthy public opinion is created women
will pose as destitute ladies'" and
never take dignifed position In any
calling they adopt. Gentlemen who
earn their own living are not spoken of
as destitute" and we must Danish
this idea in connection with ladies who
are engaged in an equally honorable
manner.
Lady Granville Gordon was the first
to open millinery business in London,
and her example was quickly followed
by GirtOn girl known as Mime. Isabel
of Bond street. Neither of these ladies
trades under her own name, but as their
experience will probably clear the way
for others, the following details of why
Nine. Isabel became a woman of bust
ness are valuable. In the first place
her husbands health failed, and he