The Pioneer Club
Her ethical and political beliefs were united in the Pioneer Club, an institution she founded in 1892. A socially levelling institution for women (men were permitted only at Social Evenings on Wednesdays) where all were identified by number rather than by name, it sought through lectures (every Thursday) and social campaigning to tackle issues of concern such as vivisection and explore new philosophies such as theosophy, but overwhelmingly it was concerned with improving the lot of women.
Club walls displayed artwork produced by members, and the club’s symbol was a silver axe. By 1893 it had 320 members, and went mixed by 1909. Members included Eleanor Marx, Sarah Grand, the children’s author L.T. Meade, and Mona Caird. George Bernard Shaw and Millicent Fawcett were speakers. The club was temperate, and egalitarian. Massingberd described the club as follows in February 1893: 'Here we have no social distinctions, we all meet together on the common ground of sisterhood […] We are of all creeds and politics, of different professions and of no professions, although most of us ‘do’ something, but united together in the desire to promote the advancement of women’s interests'.
Visit the first floor sitting room of Gunby Hall during house opening times from May onwards to explore a contemporary reinterpretation of the Pioneer Club.