▁- ▁as ▁she ▁considered ▁the ▁leadership ▁too ▁aut ocr atic . ▁ ▁Life ▁Ter esa ▁Bill ington - Gre ig ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Pr eston , ▁Lanc ash ire ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁and ▁brought ▁up ▁in ▁Black burn ▁in ▁a ▁family ▁of ▁d rap ers . ▁Although ▁from ▁a ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁family , ▁Bill ington - Gre ig ▁anno yed ▁her ▁parents ▁when ▁she ▁became ▁an ▁ag nost ic ▁whilst ▁still ▁in ▁her ▁te ens . ▁Having ▁left ▁school ▁with ▁no ▁qual ifications ▁she ▁was ▁app r entic ed ▁to ▁the ▁mill in ery ▁trade . ▁However , ▁she ▁ran ▁away ▁from ▁home ▁and ▁educated ▁herself ▁at ▁night ▁classes ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁teacher . ▁She ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁teacher ▁at ▁a ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁school ▁in ▁Manchester , ▁studying ▁at ▁Manchester ▁University ▁in ▁her ▁spare ▁time , ▁until ▁her ▁own ▁ag nost ic ism ▁made ▁this ▁impossible . ▁From ▁there ▁Bill ington - Gre ig ▁joined ▁the ▁Municipal ▁Education ▁School ▁service ▁where ▁her ▁religious ▁belief s ▁brought ▁her ▁into ▁conflict ▁with ▁her ▁employ ers . ▁However , ▁through ▁the ▁Education ▁Committee ▁there ▁she ▁met ▁Em m eline ▁P ank h urst ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 3 ▁who ▁found ▁her ▁work ▁in ▁a ▁Jewish ▁school , ▁while ▁that ▁same ▁year ▁she ▁became ▁a ▁member ▁and ▁organ iser ▁of ▁the ▁Independent ▁Labour ▁Party . ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 0 4 ▁she ▁was ▁the ▁founder ▁and ▁honor ary ▁secretary ▁of ▁the ▁Manchester ▁branch ▁of ▁the ▁Equ al ▁Pay ▁League ▁within ▁the ▁National