Barbara Steel OBE | |
|---|---|
 Lady Barbara, circa 1935 | |
| Born | Barbara Joanna Paterson 1857 St John's Town of Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland |
| Died | 1943 (aged 85–86) Pietermaritzburg, South Africa |
| Nationality | British (Scottish/South African) |
| Other names | Lady Steel |
| Occupation | suffragette |
| Years active | 1883–1930 |
| Spouse | James Steel |
Barbara Steel OBE; 1857 – 22 December 1943) was a Scottish social activist who actively campaigned for Women's Suffrage in both the United Kingdom and South Africa. She was the first woman to stand in an election for the Edinburgh Town Council, when she ran in the 1907 election. Steel moved to South Africa in 1911 and at the beginning of World War I founded an organization to provide aid to South African soldiers and their families. She was honored as an Officer in the Order of the British Empire for her civil service. In addition, she served as president of the Women's Enfranchisement Association of the Union from 1916 until 1930, fighting for women's right to vote in South Africa.