Agnes Husband was born in Tayport, the daughter of a shipmaster John Husband and Agnes Lamond or Lomand. Agnes and her sister later worked as dressmakers in the Murraygate, Dundee.
Agnes Husband became involved in her forties in socialism and the Labour party, standing unsuccessfully for election to the School Board in 1897. But in 1901 she was elected as one of the first two women on the Parochial Board. She attended over 80 meetings in a year serving on four committees. And in 1905 Husband did win a place on the School Board too and promoted providing meals, books, and nursery education to poor children in the city. Her own education continued in evening classes at Dundee University College and she became President of the Women's Freedom League branch which started up in the city, and in 1909 she took a national role in the movement for women's suffrage. Agnes Husband attended and was able to give a first hand report on the demonstration which took place at Westminster but this was not reported in the local press. Annot Wilkie or Robinson appears to have been influenced by Husband. During Agnes Husband's presidency of Dundee WFL in October 1913 the branch joined with the local Women's Social and Political Union to demonstrate against forcible feeding at Dundee Prison. In 1926 at the age of 74, she was the 5th woman to be given the Freedom of the City of Dundee. Husband's Burgess ticket was on display in the City Archives for the centenary of women's suffrage, and it says it was "in recognition of the valuable services rendered by her to the Community as a Member of the Parish Council and the Education Authority and in many other ways over a long period of years". She died in 1929. Agnes Husband's influence and link to the wider suffrage movement was described as
"she worked long and conscientiously on behalf of the poor and for better education. As a member of the suffrage movement, she spoke, wrote and campaigned with gusto. She also supported and encouraged her younger sisters to become involved."
Death and legacy
In her obituary she was described as 'a pioneer in asserting the claims of women and their competence to participate in the administration of public affairs' and as ' a pioneer in more humane treatment of the poor and in education and care of children.'
