The Suffragists

1. The Suffragists An assessment of their campaign for votes for women

2. The campaign 1897 - 1928 • Campaign methods peaceful • Lobby MPs, public speaking, petitions to Parliament, writing (Women’s Suffrage Journal), canvassing door to door. • Targeted major towns and cities for support and to spread the word. • Radical Suffragists – 1890s- worked in Lancashire cotton mills to encourage working class women to join NUWSS • By 1908 well organised. 10 full time paid organisers coordinating the campaign nationally and locally

3. Other Suffragist societies • After 1907 over 20 new suffrage societies • Professionals - gymnastics teachers, civil servants, artists, actresses, writers. • Religious groups – Catholics, Quakers, Anglicans, Jews • Political groups – Liberal, Conservative , Socialist supporters . Men’s League for Women’s Suffrage, Men’s Political Union for Women’s Enfranchisement (1910)

4. The Conciliation Bills 1910 + 1911(1) • Jan 1910 (PM) HH Asquith (Liberal) promises a Bill for Women’s Suffrage. • Passed on the 2nd reading in July by majority of 100 votes! • BUT not confirmed as Parliament is dissolved for general election in November 1910. • Suffragettes hold off violence campaign expecting debate on the Bill but Asquith (Lib PM) refuses to debate it. • Violence resumed by WSPU. Black Friday 18/11/10. 100 arrests • Impact on suffrage campaign – • MPs distance themselves from support of women. • Public opinion sympathetic to the cause after violent police action on unarmed women is heavily criticised.

5. The Conciliation Bills 1910 + 1911 (2) • 1911, new Bill proposed • Voting rights for women whose husbands were already voters. • Rejected by the HoC • Bill presented again in 1912, again failed to get majority in HoC . • Asquith presents another Bill to give the vote to all men and suggests the HoC adds an amendment to include votes for some women. • Rejected because the amendment changed the nature of the Bill. • So nearly got it! • WSPU resumes violence. ‘The Wild Period’ • Early 1914 Asquith meets with East London Federation of Suffragettes (Sylvia Pankhurst). Recognises genuine social grievances which could be sorted by having the vote • Evidence suggests Asquith would have proposed a bill for universal suffrage. • BUT – War intervened. All women agreed to stop campaigning and support the country in its time of need.

6. Strengths of Suffragist Campaign • Peaceful approach seen as democratic. • Widespread support among working and middle class women. • Growing support from middle class men. • Well organised. 500 local branches, which won the support of many politicians. • By 1914, they had persuaded half of the MPs to support votes for women. Conciliation Bills • During the time of the suffragette actions the Suffragist membership rose dramatically.

7. Weaknesses of Suffragists • Fighting a very hard battle to change society’s attitude to women’s role. • Many women opposed the Suffragists. • They were easy to ignore • men were prepared to agree that their approach was rational and responsible but because they were unwilling to break, or even stretch the law, they were easy to ignore. • Year after year, a bill was raised to get votes for women and year after year it was thrown out, although as the years went on the margin of defeat became less.