Charlotte M. Mason (1842–1923)

Charlotte Mason was born in the village of Garth, now incorporated into the city of Bangor, Wales. An only child, she was mostly educated at home by her parents. She became a teacher, and taught for more than 10 years in Worthing, England. During this time she developed her vision for a wide and liberal education for all children.

Between 1880 and 1892, she wrote a popular geography textbook series called The Ambleside Geography Books. She later became a lecturer at the Bishop Otter Teacher Training College in Chichester, England, where she gave a series of lectures about the education of children under age nine, later published as Home Education (1886).

She co-founded the Parents' Educational Union (PEU), an organization that provided resources to parents educating their children at home, and launched and served as editor-in-chief of the Parents' Review for PEU members.

In 1890 she met suffragist and educator Henrietta Franklin, who two years later opened the first school in London based on Miss Mason's principles. Miss Mason also wrote and published several other books developing and explaining her theories of education.