Margaret Sibthorp, née Shurmer, (c. 1835 – 23 May 1916) edited the “pioneering women’s periodical” Shafts from 1892 until 1899. She described it as “the outgoing of my vital breath; the result of the anxious yearning of my inmost spirit; the manifestation of my deep desire to serve the cause of women”.[1]
Margaret became a member of the Theosophical Society in 1891, which was reflected in Shafts’ extensive coverage of occult and psychical topics. In 1909 she became a founding member of the League of Isis, which promoted Frances Swiney’s views on the importance of healthy motherhood and the fundamental right of women to regulate sexual intercourse.[1]