Mary Gordon (prison inspector)
Mary Gordon | |
|---|---|
Mary Louisa Gordon, from a 1920 publication | |
| Born | Mary Louisa Gordon 15 August 1861 Seaforth, Lancashire, England |
| Died | 5 May 1941 (aged 79) Crowborough, Sussex, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation(s) | Physician, prison inspector and author |
| Known for | First British female prison inspector |
| Notable work | Penal Discipline (1922) Chase of the Wild Goose (1936) |
Mary Louisa Gordon (15 August 1861 − 5 May 1941) was a British physician, prison inspector and writer. After graduating from the London School of Medicine for Women in 1890, Gordon worked at the East London Hospital for Children, the Evelina London Children's Hospital, and later had a private practice in Harley Street. While working as a physician, she made a number of public addresses and wrote publications on topics including the effects of prostitution and alcohol dependence on women.
Gordon was appointed as the first British female prison inspector in 1908. During her time as prison inspector, she enacted a number of improvements including prison work allocation. She also supported the British suffragette movement, and secretly communicated with the Women's Social and Political Union about conditions in prisons. After retirement in 1921, she wrote the book Penal Discipline (1922), which advocated for reforms to the prison system, and the historical novel Chase of the Wild Goose (1936), based on the Ladies of Llangollen.