Millicent Mackenzie

Millicent Mackenzie
Mackenzie in 1915
Born	Hettie Millicent Hughes 1863 (1863) Bristol, England
Died	10 December 1942(1942-12-10) (aged 78–79) Brockweir, England
Nationality	British
Known for	Feminist, educator
Movement	suffragette
Spouse(s)	John Stuart Mackenzie

Millicent Hughes Mackenzie (1863 in Bristol – 10 December 1942 in Brockweir) was a British professor of education at University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire, the first female professor in Wales and the first appointed to a fully chartered university in the United Kingdom. She wrote on the philosophy of education, founded the Cardiff Suffragette branch, became the only woman Parliamentary Candidate in Wales for 1918, and was a key initiator of Steiner-Waldorf education in the United Kingdom.

Hester Millicent Hughes was born in 1863 into the family of Walter William Hughes of Bristol. She went to school in the Bristol suburb of Clifton and later was sent for further schooling to Switzerland, after which she entered the University College, Bristol and the Cambridge Teacher Training College. She was normal mistress at the University College of South Wales & Monmouthshire from 1891 to 1904. This is where she met John Stuart Mackenzie, professor of philosophy at the University College, a Hegelian and author of a number of philosophical works and text books. The couple were married in 1898, and at her request the university allowed her to continue as normal mistress thereafter. When the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire opened their teacher training for female students, she was appointed to head it, the university being then just a few years old and having a welcoming and enlightened policy towards female students and staff. She made history through her appointment to associate professor in 1904 and to professor of education (women) in 1910, making her the first female professor in Wales and the first female professor appointed to a fully chartered university in the United Kingdom. Millicent was appointed to Senate in 1909 (the first woman to be appointed to Cardiff's Senate), though the Senate Minutes record her attending and being involved in Senate Meetings going back to 25 October 1904.

She played a key role in the establishment of the College School. This was a demonstration school founded by the university in which members of the Secondary Training Department for Women carried out their teaching practice, taught boys until the age of 10, who then went on to public school and girls until they were 18 or 19.