Ethel, Lady Pearson

Who was Ethel, Lady Pearson?

Ethel Maud, Lady Pearson, DBE, née Ethel Maud Fraser, was a British humanitarian.

On 3 June 1897, she married, as his second wife, the publisher Arthur Pearson, who was created a baronet in 1916. She became heavily involved in St Dunstan's Hostel for the Blind, the home for blinded soldiers that her husband, who was blind himself, founded in 1915. For these services, she was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1920 Birthday Honours.

Following her husband's death in 1921 she succeeded him as president of St Dunstan's and held the position until 1947, when she was succeeded by her son, Sir Neville Pearson. She was also a vice-president of the Royal National Institute for the Blind.

Lady Pearson died on 10 April 1959, aged 89.