Tillie May Forney: Getting the Scoop from the Woman’s Perspective

All Bones Considered: Laurel Hill Stories #084, part 2

Matilda "Tillie May" Forney, raised in a prominent Philadelphia family with journalistic roots, gained experience as her father’s secretary and became a columnist known for her “Fashionable Luncheon and Tea Toilets” column, which focused on high society fashion and etiquette. Her column catered to an affluent audience, discussing topics like French fabrics and social customs.

Tillie never married or left her family home on Washington Square. She was buried in her father’s plot at Laurel Hill West. Her life and career reflect both the opportunities and constraints faced by women journalists of her era.