Suffragette City: How did the ‘votes for
women’ campaign affect London 1906–1914?
The UK campaign for women’s right to vote in parliamentary elections began in
the mid-19th century. Campaigners used argument and debate to try to persuade
the government. When this did not work by the beginning of the 20th century,
new tactics were adopted.
In 1903, the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) was set up in
Manchester. The WSPU aimed to adopt more militant (strong or more direct)
tactics to win the vote. Their members later became known as Suffragettes.
When the WSPU moved to London in 1906, the movement’s emphasis altered.
From 1906–1914 the fight to win the vote became a public, and sometimes
violent struggle that was very visible on the streets of the capital.
Why did the campaign move to London in 1906?
Moving the campaign to the streets of London made the
WSPU more visible. It also meant they could hold major
events that attracted lots of people and publicity.
This paper napkin is printed with a programme for
Women’s Sunday on 21 June 1908. This was the first big
event organised by the WSPU. The centre of the napkin
shows the route of the seven marches through London
meeting in Hyde Park. Around the centre are portraits
of the main speakers and the Suffragette leaders.
Souvenir paper table napkin
© Museum of London 2011
Napkins like this were produced for all large public events from Women’s Sunday, 1908
in London from the early- to mid-20th century. They would
have been sold for about one penny by street traders
lining the route of the event. The fact that one was made
for this event shows the impact of Women’s Sunday on
London life.
The Women’s Sunday procession included over 700 banners and attracted
a crowd of up to 300,000 people.
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Why did the Suffragettes chain themselves to the
railings of government buildings?
The move to London also brought the WSPU
closer to the seat of parliament. MPs could
not ignore women chaining themselves to the
railings of government buildings or causing
public disruption nearby.
Suffragettes used belts like this one to chain
themselves to railings. It took the police a long
time to release Suffragettes from the chain’s
padlocks. This meant the women had more
time to make long speeches about why
women should be given the vote.
Leather restraining belt, made about 1840,
used by Suffragettes around 1908
Belts like these had been originally made to
restrain mentally ill patients. This one was
probably adapted by a blacksmith who would
have added the shackles.
The WSPU was set up by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters. Its motto
was ‘deeds not words’.
Violence and disruption
Clashes with the police could lead to public disturbances
in the streets of London. This photo comes from a front
page of a newspaper with the headline ‘Violent scenes at
Westminster’. The newspaper dates from 19 November
1910 and referred to a demonstration outside parliament.
That day later became known as ‘Black Friday’ because
of the violence of the police towards the women involved.
Newscutting from a daily,
national newspaper,
19 November 1910
© Museum of London 2011
From 1912 onwards, the WSPU shifted their tactics
towards attacks on buildings and property. In May 1912,
150 Suffragettes took part in a shop-window-smashing
campaign in London’s West End. Suffragettes also
attacked works of art, including slashing the Rokeby
Venus by Velasquez at the National Gallery. Many
London museums and galleries banned female visitors as
a result.
In June 1913 the Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison died after being trampled
by the King’s horse when she ran onto a racecourse.
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Suffragettes in prison
Over 1,000 Suffragettes went to prison as a result of militant activities like these.
This police summons was issued to the Suffragette Janie Terrero. She was
required to attend Bow Street Court charged with wilful (deliberate) damage. She
had been caught window smashing and was sentenced to four months in
Holloway prison. While she was in prison, Janie went on hunger strike twice.
Like Janie, Suffragette prisoners often went on hunger strike. In prison they were
not classed as political prisoners but as common criminals. Their hunger strike
was in protest against this treatment.
The authorities feared that Suffragettes on hunger strike might die from starvation.
As a result Suffragettes were force fed.
Police summons to Janie Terrero, 1 March 1912
© Museum of London 2011
In 1913 the government decided to release hunger-striking prisoners so they
could recover, then re-arrest them. Suffragettes called this ‘The Cat and Mouse
Act’.
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Hunger strikes
The WSPU gave medals to hunger-striking women.
This one was given to Florence Haig the third and
last time she went to Holloway prison. This was for
breaking the windows of DH Evans department
store on Oxford Street in March 1912. She was in
prison for four months where she went on hunger
strike and was force fed.
The medal’s ribbon shows the purple, white and
green colours of the WSPU. The fact that the
WSPU issued medals for hunger strikes shows that
it operated like a military campaign. It also shows
that they wished to reward the women for their
dedication to the ‘Votes for Women Cause’.
At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Emmeline
Pankhurst, the WSPU founder, called a halt to
Suffragette militancy. She felt it was now important
to support the war effort.
Hunger strike medal given
to Florence Haig, 1912
See also
Further resources for
teachers/tutors
Collections Online is an online database
which allows users to find out more about
the Museum of London’s objects, both on
display and in store. Go to
Explore the images for this topic in
the Picturebank:
www.museumoflondon.org.uk/picture
bank.
www.museumoflondon.org.uk/collections.
Visit the Museum
The National Archives Education
Gallery: ‘Early 1900s Women’s
Suffrage’:
Galleries of interest to this topic:
© Museum of London 2011
People’s City: 1850–1950 at the Museum
of London.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ed
ucation/britain1906to1918/g3/gallery3.
htm
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