Red Duchess: Kitty Atholl, A Rebel in Westminster

A pioneering female politician who thought women didn’t need the vote; a conservative who shared platforms with communists; a shy public speaker who travelled the world speaking for Spanish refugees: the formidable Duchess of Atholl was full of contradictions. Born into an ancient Scottish family and married to a philandering duke, Kitty rose above the constraints of class and convention to become a tireless advocate for women and children. By her election as the first Scottish female MP in 1923, she was one of the most prominent women in Scotland – and that was well before she shocked Westminster with outspoken rebellions against her own government. She stood with Spanish refugees and challenged fascism, visited war zones and campaigned with her political opponents, criticised tyrants and wrote her own political playbook. In Red Duchess Kitty Atholl’s extraordinary life is brought to the spotlight she has long deserved – a compelling story of courage, conviction and a woman who refused to play by the rules.

About the Author :
AMY GRAY has spent fifteen years working in public affairs and politics and has stood for Parliament twice. She splits her time between Cambridge and Scotland with her husband and two children.

Review :
‘With this admirable book, Amy Gray puts the Duchess of Atholl back where she belongs, in the front row of twentieth century politics. Meticulous research and illuminating use of contemporary sources make Red Duchess a fascinating and hugely valuable addition to the political and social history of the period.’ ‘Gray skilfully takes us from the optimistic advances of late-Victorian Britain into the political and social earthquake of two World Wars. Through Kitty, we see the world as it appeared to someone in a unique position. Both traditionalist and pioneer, changing her outlook and willing to learn, yet always remaining loyal to herself, Kitty has inexplicably faded into the mists of history until now. In this masterful work, Gray takes us on a highly-descriptive, in-depth journey through the challenges of being at once a most privileged female of a time to the Duchess having to confront the same challenges many modern women face. It is a fascinating, brilliantly written, beautifully-paced work which is well worth your time.’ ‘Amy Gray tells the fascinating story of a principled, colourful maverick who was by one of the first women MPs. Kitty Atholl was also to the fore in warning the world of the dangers of both fascism and communism, and sacrificed her career fighting the appeasers in her party. History proved her right, but unfairly, history also forgot her. Amy Gray's excellent biography helps restore the Duchess to an honourable place in our past.’ ‘Before Margaret Thatcher, before Barbara Castle, there was Katharine Stewart-Murray, the ‘Red Duchess’ of Atholl and one of the great female pioneers of UK politics. Amy Gray’s deeply-researched biography compellingly reconstructs her moral clarity, her unequivocal human rights campaigns against the “twin totalitarianisms” of Fascism and Communism, and her profound impact on the lives of glittering contemporaries such as Winston Churchill and Samuel Coleridge Taylor. In Gray, this unjustly forgotten heroine has finally found the biographer she deserves.’ ‘What an extraordinary person and what an extraordinary book. Riveting.’ ‘The Duchess of Atholl has long been in need of a full biography, and I am delighted that Amy Gray has now supplied one. I enjoyed Red Duchess immensely. Gray's archival research is very detailed and extremely impressive, carefully documenting the duchess's life and career, and explains her significance in areas of politics and public life which have previously been overlooked or misunderstood. I hope the book brings 'Kitty' the attention she deserves.’ 'A strangely captivating portrait of an unexpected pioneer.’