Mary Frances Lovell (1843–1932) was a British-born American writer, humanitarian, and temperance reformer. She co-founded the American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS),[1] and also, in 1859, the Women's Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (WPSPCA), serving as the latter's corresponding secretary and honorary president. She served as vice-president of the American Humane Association and through her work with the World Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), her humanitarian efforts were introduced into some 20 countries around the world.[2]
Mary Frances Whitechurch was born in London, England, July 11, 1843. Her father, Robert Whitechurch, was an engraver.[3] She came to the U.S. in early 1849.
She was educated in American private schools.
On September 13, 1864, she married George S. Lovell, of Brimfield, Massachusetts, a wholesale clock dealer.
Lovell joined the WCTU at Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, in 1885. To her astonishment, she was immediately elected superintendent of the department of scientific temperance instruction in schools and colleges for the Bryn Mawr WCTU. For several years, she was actively associated with Mary H. Hunt, of the National WCTU, in her work for scientific temperance' instruction in the public schools. Due to the prolonged illness of her husband, Lovell was obliged in 1897 to resign temporarily from active WCTU work.
From childhood, Lovell had a love of animals and a hatred for any sort of cruelty. While at Bryn Mawr, she became a member of the WPSPCA. Later, she became a member of the AAVS, vice-president of the American Humane Association, and associate editor of the Journal of Zoöphily.
Her discoveries of the cruelties of vivisection aroused in Lovell a desire to advance humane education everywhere as rapidly as possible, and the thought came to her to create a Band of Mercy Department as part of the work of the WCTU. She proposed the plan in the Bryn Mawr Union, and it was successfully adopted there. She next wrote a paper entitled "Why the Band of Mercy Should Form a Part of the work of the WCTU", which she read at a convention of the WCTU of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It was ordered printed and was shortly published in The Union Signal, the organ of the National WCTU. At her request, the Pennsylvania WCTU created in 1888 a Department of Mercy, and at the State convention, she was elected its superintendent, having had previous experience in the same capacity for her county union. After existing for two years as a State department only, a national Department of Mercy was created, and Lovell was chosen its superintendent also. In this office, she secured the adoption of the Department of Mercy (later, the Department of Humane Education) in 44 States of the Union.
Lovell was also the World WCTU's superintendent of the Department of Mercy, the department having been adopted by the World WCTU's convention in London in 1895. Margaret Marshall Saunders was made the first superintendent, but, upon her resignation, Lovell succeeded to the position.[4] Thus her humanitarian efforts were introduced into some 20 countries around the world.
Lovell resided at Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.
In recognition of Lovell's services in humane educational work, her portrait in oil was presented to the WPSPCA in December 1923, a gift and work of Mary J. Eddy, of Rhode Island.[5]
Mary Frances Lovell died in Philadelphia, June 25, 1932.[6]