Grace Cadell 1855-1918

Dr Grace Cadell was one of Sophia Jex Blake’s students who were dismissed for challenging Sophia’s authority. Elsie Inglis asked her to join her in setting up their own college, the Medical College for Women. When Elsie Inglis founded the Medical Women’s club in 1899, Grace was asked to join the Medical committee, and in 1904 also joined the staff of Elsie’s centre, the Hospice in the High street. She was running it in 1911.

As an active suffragette Grace was leader of the Leith branch of the WSPU in 1907 but after the split she joined the WFL - Women’s Freedom League. One of their slogans was “No taxation without representation” (which had been used before!). This had serious consequences for Grace Cadell as all her possessions were sold at the Mercat Cross for non-payment of taxes. The movement used the event to gain maximum publicity and they turned it into a suffrage meeting.

During the Scottish campaign of attacks on Buildings, known as the 'Scottish Outrages' in 1913-14, she was one of the medical advisors to hunger strikers in prison. The hunger strikers were frequently released to her care under the Cat and Mouse Act. She treated Ethel Moorhead after she had been force fed. Her house was known as a refuge for suffragettes.