ANNA MARIA AND CAROLINE FOX

Cultural Leadership, Arts, Education, Equal Rights for Women

Anna Maria Fox 1816 -1897
Caroline Fox 1817 – 1855

Suggested by Lee Kellgren

Anna Maria and Caroline Fox were Founders of The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society in 1833.

Lee comments “In 1833 these two young women were well ahead of their time. The Quaker belief in equality of women and opportunity for all supported their philanthropic work. The Poly is still going strong as a local Arts venue. And I and many other artists have successful exhibitions in their galleries.”

The Cornwall Polytechnic Society (The Poly) was founded in 1833, the inspiration of Anna Maria and Caroline, the teenage daughters of Robert Were Fox of G.C. Fox & Co, a prominent Falmouth firm of shipping agents. The firm was also joint owner of the Perran Foundry, whose workmen constantly brought models and inventions for inspection, and new ideas for improving the working of the foundry. With their father’s encouragement, a Society was formed ‘To promote the useful and fine arts, to encourage industry, and to elicit the ingenuity of a community distinguished for its mechanical skill’.
(text and image of Anna Maria from the Poly website)