There have been an awful lot of words written about Queen Victoria, but it always come back to just how tall (or small) she was. You probably know that she was lacking in stature, something she frequently mentioned herself. It’s one of the facts of her life still talked about today. She had nine children, she was not amused and she was – how tall, 4ft 10ins, 4ft 11ins. In fact, she was probably a little over 5ft.

So what does Alice Arman have in common with Queen Victoria?

Well, she had 4 children not 9 and she didn’t become Empress of India neither was she the subject of countless books, TV series and films. Alice Arman quietly (or maybe loudly) spent a lifetime of service to the people of Swindon, which is now lost and forgotten. There does remain however this rather spectacular photograph of Alice in which she doesn’t look particularly small (or tall).

So which women of history would you like to meet during Women’s History Month. I’ve got a very long list, and I’d also rather like to have met Alice Arman.

The facts …

Alice was born in Oldham in 1857, the daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Schofield. She married William Fairclough at the church of St Wilfrid, Standish, Lancashire on July 16, 1883. At the time of the 1891 census Alice and her first husband, William Fairclough, were living at 3 East Vermont Street in the Govan district of Glasgow with their three children, Mary, William and Alice. A fourth child, Norman was born in 1891 but died before his first birthday. The family moved to Swindon in around 1893 when William secured a job as a boilermaker in the Works.

Industrial New Swindon probably looked quite familiar to Alice who had grown up in Oldham, Lancashire where her parents ran a greengrocer’s shop. But sadly the move to Swindon didn’t herald a brave new future for the family as William died that same year.

In 1896 Alice (sometimes known as Alison) married widower Thomas Arman. The couple lived first in King Street where Thomas was employed as a carpenter in the GWR Works and Alice worked as a trouser machinist. Her son William lived with them along with Thomas’s three children by his first wife, Alfred, Mabel and Rosie. On the 1911 census Alice and Thomas Arman are living at 15 Lowestoft Street with Thomas’s daughter Rose Mary Arman and Alice’s daughter Mary Elizabeth Fairclough. Alice’s occupation is described as ‘part time student.’ I hope this is correct and not an error when the census return was filled out. I love the thought that Alice is studying at the age of 50.

In 1909 Alice was involved with the Bridge Street Men’s Adult School. An article published in the Swindon Advertiser on February 26, 1909 reporting on a recent meeting when ‘at the Social Hour at eight p.m. Mrs A. Arman read, by request, her paper entitled “From Gypsy Lane to the Workhouse” to an appreciative audience’ a subject no doubt informed by her work with the Poor Law Board of Guardians.

In 1894 the Local Government Act enabled the election of women to the Poor Law Board of Guardians for the first time. In Swindon Maria Matthews, Elizabeth Williams, Elizabeth House and Elinor Buller were the first four women to serve as Guardians. At the beginning of the 20th century Alice was also elected a member. We know she served as a Guardian for several years because an election in 1922 produced some shock results. Seven of the old members were defeated including Mrs Elizabeth Williams, the Deputy Mayor Alderman E. Jones and Mrs Alice Arman.

Alice continued with her community work after the First World War when she served as secretary of the Comrades’ Club, which met at Bridge Street.

In 1920 Alice unsuccessfully stood as one of six Labour candidates in Swindon’s local elections, however, her political colleague Mrs Ellen Anglesea Tanner won the West Ward seat for the Labour party.

Alice died at her home in Princes Street aged 68. She was buried three days before Christmas 1927 in plot C24a in Radnor Street Cemetery. She is buried alone with her first husband William Fairclough remembered on her headstone.