Eleanor was born on the 14th July 1879 in Horwich, she was the daughter of Thomas Mangnall (GM227) and Eleanor Holt (FM144). The 1881 Census shows her to be 1 year old and living with her parents at 291 Chorley Old Road in Halliwell. By the time of the 1891 Census she was an 11 year old scholar, the family were now living at 8 Back o’the Bank in Little Bolton.
Between 1899 and 1902 Eleanor was a student at Newnham College in Cambridge. Newnham was a women only college and Eleanor emerged with a Mathematics Tripos Part 1 CL. (can someone explain what CL is?) in 1902. She was not allowed to actually aquire a degree at this stage. There is an excellent history of Newnham College .
Eleanor also achieved an Honours Certificate and Silver and Bronze Medalls from the Royal Drawing Society. She left Cambridge to be a teacher in France for the year 1902-1903. From 1903 to 1904 she was an assistant Mistress at Kent College in Folkstone then in 1904 she moved back to Lancashire and was an Assistant Mistress at Bolton High School until 1937. She was also the Sunday School Superintendant for a Unitarian Sunday School for 22 years.
Records of the Spelling Society show that Eleanor was a member in 1918. The Spelling Society were pioneering a simple spelling scheme which started first with sounds, then syllable building, word building, and then sentences. It used the Montessori method as far as possible.
Eleanor died aged 76 on the 21st May 1956 and was cremated on the 29th May, her casket was buried at St Peter’s CE Church in Halliwell. She had been living at her parents old house of 136 Markland Hill Lane in Bolton.
[Last updated 27 Dec 2009]