ABSTRACT
During the Great War, many women played a crucial role in supporting the cause at home and abroad, as men engaged directly on the front lines. Lena Ashwell (1869–1957) contributed to the war effort, albeit she did so in a unique way: she organised concerts for soldiers in order to boost morale. In addition to being a member of the pre-war suffrage campaign and manager of the Kingsway Theatre (London), her efforts to bring cultural entertainment to soldiers on the front lines during the war and to promote theatre after the war have marked her place in history. This chapter begins by tracing the story of Ashwell’s remarkable journey from her childhood, her professional management of a theatre company, and her activism in the pre-war suffrage movement. It then discusses her leadership in organising concerts for soldiers primarily fighting in France during the Great War. Finally, it concludes by discussing her efforts to bring theatre to the general public after the war. Through her activism and professionalism, Ashwell defied the conventional role assigned to female artists in the British Empire in the 1910s and 1920s, carving out a new path for others to follow.
