I had been back from my holiday in Lancaster only a matter of hours before Ally said to me - Oh just to let you know I've arranged for us to do a talk about the suffragettes at Portswood library on February 6th. My immediate responses were - Why? and - I don't know anything about suffragettes.
She wasn't put off by my negative reaction, but patiently explained that 2018 is the centenary of some women gaining the vote, and that 6th February was the actual day on which the legislation was passed. She then suggested that we get down to work finding out how our local area was involved in the fight for votes for women. We had a head start because Fiona is a tenacious researcher and had already found out that there were a number of suffragettes living in the Bevois Mount area. Her article is on the Bevois Mount History website. It was Fiona that made sure we had a suffragette depicted on our first mural.
She wasn't put off by my negative reaction, but patiently explained that 2018 is the centenary of some women gaining the vote, and that 6th February was the actual day on which the legislation was passed. She then suggested that we get down to work finding out how our local area was involved in the fight for votes for women. We had a head start because Fiona is a tenacious researcher and had already found out that there were a number of suffragettes living in the Bevois Mount area. Her article is on the Bevois Mount History website. It was Fiona that made sure we had a suffragette depicted on our first mural.
The parking sign has been removed since this photo was taken, so the suffragette can be seen in all her glory.
The research involved combing the internet, visits to the Central Library, Southampton archives, Southampton Old Cemetery and tramping the streets to take photos of where suffragettes had lived. We found out the difference between a suffragette and a suffragist and we also memorised what SPEW, NUWSS and WSPU stood for. We had meetings to discuss our presentation and then Ally came up with the idea that we would also dress up as suffragettes. This idea was not met with universal approval, but eventually we were all in agreement.
February 6th arrived and we set off for the library. We weren't nervous because we've done presentations there before, and three to four people turn up. This time though we had over thirty!!!! We rose to the challenge magnificently.
The research involved combing the internet, visits to the Central Library, Southampton archives, Southampton Old Cemetery and tramping the streets to take photos of where suffragettes had lived. We found out the difference between a suffragette and a suffragist and we also memorised what SPEW, NUWSS and WSPU stood for. We had meetings to discuss our presentation and then Ally came up with the idea that we would also dress up as suffragettes. This idea was not met with universal approval, but eventually we were all in agreement.
February 6th arrived and we set off for the library. We weren't nervous because we've done presentations there before, and three to four people turn up. This time though we had over thirty!!!! We rose to the challenge magnificently.
So, our first suffragette foray was a great success. We were also asked to give talks to a couple of schools and a guide group and we were happy to do that. After all that work we did think we deserved a reward, so we had an away day to visit the Museum of London. Because we are intrepid researchers.
The Museum of London has a very large number of suffragettes artefacts including this one:
This is the hanky embroidered by Janie Terrero when she was in Holloway Prison. It gives details of her arrest and the names of her fellow hunger strikers, and is an amazing piece of social history. Janie is buried in Southampton Old Cemetery along with her husband Manuel and her parents-in-law. Manuel's grandfather was the one time dictator of Argentina, but that is another story.
We seem to be quite popular with libraries because the Friends of Cobbett Road also asked us to give our presentation. They had gone to a great deal of trouble to get into the suffragette mood including an enormous sign chained to the railings outside.
They had made their own Votes for Women sashes, and all the refreshments were suffragette themed.
The suffragettes and suffragists were brilliant at marketing themselves and lost no opportunity to gain publicity. They used the violet, green and white colours to great effect including making badges, flags and crockery.
I believe that their campaign was pivotal not only in gaining the vote for women but also for men - as 1918 was the first year in which all men were also given the right to vote.
I believe that their campaign was pivotal not only in gaining the vote for women but also for men - as 1918 was the first year in which all men were also given the right to vote.