Mary Howard Ashworth

Ashworth was born in Holme Abbey in Cumbria. Her mother was Sarah (born Bewley) and her father, Arthur Ashworth, was the vicar of Holme Cultram. She was the first born of their seven children. Her father died when she was eleven, but the family were provided for and she enjoyed an education that included trips abroad.[1]

At the age of 25 she had established a typing business by working long hours in Westminster. She was living in Battersea with her mother and she had trained in typing and Pitman shorthand. She started with two rooms but she went on to offer training courses for the "best class of young gentlewomen". These women learned the business and several started their own businesses or working for members of parliament.[1]

The British members of parliament were noting that they had no facilities for getting documents typed. Ashworth managed to win the bid for contracts as she had reduced her bid to 80% of what was officially recommended. She justified the reduction because she knew that parliament would supply the premises and therefore she would have lower overheads. The contract was announced on 29 March 1895. Ashworth offered typing and dictation to parliamentarians where she employed a manager. She kept her existing offices.[1] At this time all of the members of parliament would have been men. Ashworth and her staff may have been frequently the only woman in the room.[2]

In 1898 an article in Woman's Life noted that she was a workaholic. Her one indulgence, she said, was occasionally cycling before breakfast.[1] She noted that MPs would frequently arrive in typing office and begin dictation and they were frequently surprised at the speed of her workers.[2]

Ashworth's business expanded and in time she was also offering translation of documents from a wide range of languages.[2]

Ashworth died in South Kensington. She left bequests to her employees linked to the time that they had been with her company. When her last sister died then her estate was given to Professional Classes Aid Council with instructions that the money should be used to benefit only women. Her business continued but under new owners andit still held the houses of parliament contract until after 1945.[1]