LY D I A B EC K E R

A Cameo Life/ Sketch

MA R I O N HO L MES

T H R E E FE NCE NET .

’ P! B L I WO M N S FR DO M L A ! SHE D BY THE E EE E G E ,

R W . C 1 , O B E RT STR EET , A D ELPHI , .

Lydia B eck er

A CAMEO L I F E SKETCH

/ By MA RI O N HO L MES

Th e Nu rse ry of I dea l s . I T is rather the fashion nowadays -to scoff at th e : - woman of the early and mid Victorian period as a , timid and fooli sh creature given to swooning on th e m m e slightest pretext , and the victi of a ysterious prid in physical delicacy and weakness ; Probably th e average woman of the fifties and sixties was not q uite - - Th e so strong and self reliant as h er sister of t o day . “ average man still held to the clinging ivy and the ” stalwart oak ideal as being the best and most n atural v r m relation between the sexes , and the a e age wo an , with the deeply ingrained habit of mak ing herself t o man h n pleasing , umoured him by no doubt ofte x e aggerating her weaknesses and ma sk ing her strength . “ But God Almighty made the women to match . s in r t h e the men in those days a all othe s , and intellectual and patriotic men of the mid- Victorian era , had no lack of help - meets fit for them : great souled women who h elped to foster and bring to a vigorou s o th e - born b abes s y uth comparatively new of , progres r f m o . and, e r 4 L YDI A BECKER,

Th e Pio ne e r Wo me n . What a magnificent roll call of names rings down from the fifties and si xties ! Name s of pioneer women wh o set valiantly to work to clear the ground of the n r weeds and rubbish of ce tu ies , and with infinite perse verance to beat out a path to a j ust-er and fuller

existence for their sex . - of One after the other the citadels education, s art social v cience , , _ ser ice , politics were attacked , and — one after the other with the exception of the last t h e portals of these jealously guarded male monopolies w d . were gru gingly opened The eapons of abuse , mis r - u a epresentation , and personal ill s ge were all freely th e used against the women in fight , but they glanced h r off a mlessly the shields of courage and a high , unfaltering' purpose that the last - century Amaz ons V b . ore erily , there were giants on the earth in those d ays— both masculine and feminine — but more par “ i l t cul ar y feminine . The very sound of their names sets women’ s b lood atingle to - day with pride in the heritage that h a s been bequeathed to them by those pioneers . They roll off the tongue like a call to arms ! Florence N k a ightingale , Josephine Butler , Lydia Bec er , Sophi B M B ich on Jex rs. od V lake , , iscountess Amberley , ’ M L r n I Tod r a e . sabella , Priscilla B ight These , and m t any o hers equally courageous , have laid down their weapons now , but there are some of their comrades in — a rms still fighting in the ranks a very precious possession for the women of the twentieth century

r . A d s c D r. m M Faw ett , Garrett nderson , Ma a e Belloc , l nh lm E E i . Wo sto o e s . Mrs lmy , Miss m ly Davie , Mrs H — aslam names indeed to conj ure with .

Th e Le a de r of Vo tes for Wo me n .

Lydia E rnestine Becker was pre -eminently th e

’ " l eader : of the Women s Sufirage Movement during its e — m n n arly years . It was her judgement ore tha a v I - S A CAMEO L FE KETCH . 5

ei h a s— t other p p that moulded its policy , and brough this hotly contested question from a stage of general contemptuous scorn to that of an equally gene ral respect for its inherent justice . b a 24th 1 827 r She was born on Fe ru ry , , at Coope h Street , Manc ester , and was the eldest of fifteen —4 t H r children a typical nine eenth century family . e n G d father , Ha nibal Leigh Becker , was of erman escent , t E t n of his fa her , rnes Hannibal Becker . being a ative E Thuringia , who came to ngland when quite a young s H r m an . e , and ettled in business in Manchester o c th e m ther was a member of an old Lan ashire family ,

’

D uncoft s of Hollinwood .

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He r E a rly D a ys .

’ Th e first few years of Lydia s life were spent in Manchester but when she was still very young the

’ famil i ov ed Al A . y n to tham , near ccrington They lived n of in a large house on risi g ground, with a fine view n th e Pendle Hill , and in this beautiful cou try home

“ greater part of her life was passed . There was an interval of some years during which they lived in R M r B eddish , where . ecker had calico printing works , but they went back again to Al tham . Our life at R eddish was a quiet and uneventful ’ “ t one , writes one of Miss Becker s sisters in the mids h of lovely scenery and flowers . The agitations in t e political life of the period to some extent affected us . I rememb er the excit ement when it was thought th e Chartist s might find their way to our peaceful valley ; 1 848 e also the year of revolutions , , when Louis Philipp E ‘ ’ And landed in ngland as Mr . Smith . the stormy discussions connected with th e Anti - Corn L aw League were reproduced in miniature in our j uvenile circle

I n te re s t in S c ie nce .

In 1 850 we moved from R eddi sh back t o A h lt am . The drives and walks about presented great E 6 LYDIA BECKER ,

attractions to us , as the scenery was on a bolder , g rander scale than that round our prett y valley at u th R eddish . Lydia entered with zest into the st dy of e I ' rememb er plants of the neighbourhood . her pleasure

in finding some which were new to her . Botany and astronomy were always her favourite “ studies , as a friend of her youth expressed it , Lydia

knew and loved every little flower that grew . The intense delight l n nature cul tivated during those years

e — in the country rem ain ed with her all her life a never failing source of pleasu re and int erest. In the midst ” of of in t the anxieties her political work London , wri es ’

. Histor o Women s S u m e Dr Helen Blackburn in her y f fi g , she foun d her best refreshment in a run down to the

gardens and conservatories at K ew. Visitors to the . office could always know wh en Miss Becker was in residence by the flowering plant s she always gathered

round her .

A Vi si t to Ge rm a ny . — — In 1 844 when she was about seventeen Mis s

Becker paid a long visit to relatives in Germany . I h ave had the privilege of reading th e letters that she

sent to her home circle during that time , and they show that she possessed even at that age unusual Th powers of shrewd observation and reflection . e are stilted language of the period in which they written , probably makes a lack of humour and the serious bent of her mind more obvious than they would otherwise

be . She frequently expresses keen appreciation of t h e

beautiful scenery with which she was surrounded , but , on a holiday j aunt , when the heads of most girls of her a ge would have been filled with thoughts of pleasure

’ “ and for amusement , she wrote home asking political ” n “ ews . I miss the newspapers more than all the ” E h e s . nglish comforts put together , said

H o no urs fro m th e H o rt i c u lt u ra l S oc i e ty .

W t o R hen she returned home eddish , at the end of 1 845 w the year , a great bonfire was kindled, rites — K A CAMEO LIFE S ETCH . 7

Miss E sther B ecker . Soon after her return she i G b egan to give us lessons n erman . As a teacher her powers were remarkabl e she seemed to go right down 1 862 to the bottom of things In (I think), she won the gold medal from the Horticultural Society of South Kensington for the best collection of dried plants made within a year . She adopted the plan of drying the plants very quickly under great pressure and in heat . The competition was open to the ! nited m in d . King o Her pleasure botany was intense , and h er knowledge of it thorough and complete . She h ad some interesting correspondence with the celebrated

- n M r . m aturalist s Charles D arwin , in connection with so e facts that she had observed in the course of her studies .

He r Tra i n i ng S c h ool .

— I na 1 865 t M , the family wen to live in anchester , a nd a year or two later Miss Becker tried to rouse other women to share the keen pleasure that she had found ’ L . in scientific studies . She started a adies Literary b u t th e Society for the study of literature and science , results were not very encouraging , the number of members being very far short of her hopes . f w All these quiet years of study and e fort , ho ever, were fitting her for the post that she was to fill in the great movement that was then attracting the attention of all the thoughtful women of the country . Her scientific pursuits had developed a scrupulous accuracy and attention to detail that proved invaluable in h er h er organising work . They had also strengthened naturally great intellectual ability and given her a sense of proportion that enabled her to value vexations and d m isappoint ents , hopes and wishes at their true worth — in the general scheme of things a very necessary ‘ qualification this for one who was to adopt a cause of f which disappointments and rebu fs , treachery and t rickery Were t o become the distinguishing features - as time has abundantly proved ! 8 LYDIA BECKER

Th e R i si ng of t h e Tide . — For many years ever since the days of Mary Woll st oncraft Vindica tion o , in fact , who published her r — the Righ ts of Women in 1 792 isolated individuals of ’ both sexes had tilted a l an ce in the cause of women s ’

emancipation but they were few and far between .

R A ct 1 882 The passing of the eform in , however , stimulat ed women’ s attention to the power and value s of the vote . The substitution in that Act of the word “ ” “ ” A t fi male person for man in the earlier c s , rst ta t tor t placed women under a s u y disability . Before tha — the franchise h ad not been barred to them by law ; - m of only by the bar of non usage . But now the custo discouragement and di sparagement that h ad been insidiously working for some centuries to press women

back from all interest in public duties , was legalised . ’ Th e prevalent idea that politics was not woman s

business was ratified by Act of Parliament .

a O Ide s and pinions , however , have a disconcerting 1 norin A s habit of g g cts of Parliament , and many cause and events were conspiring at that time to overthrow u l that ins lting fa lacy .

- t ed The Anti Corn Law agi ation , which welcom “ the cc - operation of the political A - n the nti Slavery movement , did much to show wome t r how deeply hey were concerned in politics , whateve

the legislators might say .

’ m e n P n Wo s a rt i th e B u i ldi ng of E m pi re .

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C rl m ean W ar h. Then in the fifties came the , wit Florence Nightingale ’ s magnificent vindication of the sex and ability of her to perform great Imperial tasks , f the Indian Mutiny , proving the su ferings and torture . of women to be part of the terrible pri ce paid for E — . a mpire Legislation , too , as lways with advancing — civilisation began to interfere more and more i n th e Act . Th e v intimate concerns of the people ( Di orce , " - S A CAMEO LIFE KETCH . 9

a ff d which leg lised a di erent moral stan ard for the sexes , was passed in All these happenings drew thoughtful and public spirited women together ; th ey b egan to voice their A m of discontent , and the first ripples of the strea agita a tion for the right to vote , that has since spre d over a - h the land like river in spate , began to disturb t e political world .

A Growi ng S tre a m .

.

In the sixties th e question assumed a certain . — Parliamentary importance . John Stuart Mill a keen — and triedfri end of women was elected to Parliament ! G l E 1 865 in the enera lection of , although he took the unprecedented action of including Woman ’ s Suffrage th e in his election address . Various societies for ’ of s furthering women s interests sprang up , and petition repre sen ting the injustice of the law respecting the ro ert ' and e p p y earnings of married women , and b gging

Parliament to take the matter into consideration , were signed by thousands of men and women all over th e ’ ’ E z i/woman Journa l and . l zs s country The g was floated . — B h n Barbara Leigh Smith afterwards Mrs . odic o and Miss E mily D avies (the two founders of Girton

’ e of Colleg ), Miss Beale and Miss Buss (the founders ’ the Cheltenham Ladies College and the North London .

r G r . Collegiate School espectively), Miss ar ett (now Dr A s B ou ch erett Garrett nderson) , Mi s Jessie , Miss Helen W l en . o st Taylor (stepdaughter of Mr . J . S Mill), Miss

" E and holme (afterwards Mrs . Wolstenholme lmy) e r oth rs , were agitating for opportunities for the highe education and the opening of further occupations t o

Th e ormed th e K en-a women . y f what was known as S sington ociety, and were keenly alive to the import

ance of the suflrage .

— Th e Fi rst Pe ti ti on An H istori c R o ll .

" In 1 866 all politicians were absorbed in the propo sed

- R B ill wh i ch l was t o e f eform , xtend the ranchise to house 1 0 R LYDIA BECKE ,

h ff t h wa olders . It seemed to women su ragis s that t is s a n excellent opportunity to press t heir claim to in c l u sion th e k l in ran s of citizens , particu arly with ‘ such a champion as John Stuart Mill in the House of A - w C ommons . working committee of well kno n Women was formed to promote a Parliament ary T M petition from their sex . hey con sulted Mr . ill a bout it , and he promised to present it if they could

c ollect as many as a hundred names . In a little over t u r a for night they had a roll of signat es , which i ncl uded such distinguished names as Florence Nigh tin t G M g ale , Harriet Mar ineau , Frances Power obbe , ary S An omerville , Josephine Butler , na Swanwick , Lady A t nna Gore Lang on , Florence Davenport Hill , Lilias A t A A shwor h , Caroline shurst Biggs , nna Maria Fisher Mr B s m . t ( Hasla ), etc Miss ecker used to say hat — there should have been signatures hers sho uld

h a ve been there . But it was not until a few months later that she became actively associat ed wit h t h e m v o ement . The story of the handing over of this petition to

Mr . Mill has been told many times , but it will bear 1 866 M . s repetition In June . , iss Garrett and Mi s E mily Davies took the portentous roll down t o West T m minster Hall . h e size of it e barrassed them so they w m was made friends , with the old apple o an whose stall n a th e n e r entrance , and she hid it be eath her table .

. . wh o Mr Mill was nowhere to be seen , but Mr Fawcett , h appened to pass at th at moment offered to go in search f l o W . him . hen Mr Mi l arrived he was much amused t o find “ l the petition hidden away , but the arge number of names that it contained delighted him , and he “ e xclaimed Ah I I can brandish this with eflect !

The n — a nd Now 1

This quiet beginning of one of the greatest agitations i n history forms a sufficently piquant contrast to the great demonstrations for Votes for Women that h ave A E- 1 A C MEO LIF SKETCH . 1

few two t aken place in the last years . Did those t e minen women have visions , I wonder , of the days when they would see London ’ s grey streets aswing with a banners , and echoing to the tr mp of an army the like of which has neve r been seen in the world before ! Did Miss Garrett - who fought so strenuously to open the doors of the medical profession to her sex— picture the band of medical women , hundreds strong , who m arched through L ondon to the tune of the Women’ s s ! And M sD Marseillai e had is avies , who laboured to win high er education for girls -m any prevision of that a of d rmy fair girl gra uates in cap and gown , at whose a pproachjmen do tted t heir h ats and cheered ' What a gratifying sight those processions must h ave been t o the women who laboured in the early days ; h h a d thousands , where t ey counted tens a road beaten fl at by the tramp of many feet where they had st umbled painfully ove r the rocks and stones of prejudice and of contempt , an army women of all trades and pro t - . fessions , whi e capped nurses , teachers , gymnasts , a a n writers , rtists , actresses , m rchi g to overthrow the l ast st ronghold of the most obstinately contested c itadel of all l

’ Lydia B e c k e r s I ni tia tion .

It wa s at a meeting of t h e Social Science Associa t n t 1 866 t io held in Oc ober , . in Manchester tha Lydia B u w i ecker came into to ch with the Cause , with h ch from that time forward she was to be so strongly i dentified . She was one of the audience when Mrs . ’ B odich on read a paper on R ea sons f or 1 71 6 E n/r a no/nse moa t of Women and m t h , she im edia ely threw herself eart a nd soul into the work

T — h e Pe ti ti o n a nd l ts E ffe c t .

John Stuart Mill presented the peti tion alluded to a 7th 1 866 s bove on June , , and organi ation crystallised r q uickly on the heels of t h e intere st t h at it a ou sed . 1 2 LYDIA BECKER ,

Five important societies were formed almost simul t an eou sl M n E i l y in London , a chester , dinburgh , Br sto At and B irmingham . a meeting held by the Manchester 1 8th 1 867 M was Society on February , , iss Becker appointed Secretary . It was soon recognised that great advantage would be gained by forming some kind of. federal union , so in accordance with a resolution passed 1 867 by Manchester in November , , the five Societies e federated , and formed the nucleus of the present larg and influent ial National ! nion of Women s Suffrag 1 s fo1 t un at e s t o 1 th e Societies , which enough till etain Mr h presidential services of s. Fawcett one of t e original members of the Committee of the first London

Society .

n — h k m Vo te s for Wo m e n in Pa rli a me t t e Fi rs t S i r i sh .

’ n Mr . Mill s hands were strengthe ed by two further petitions presented to the Hou se before he move d h i s o R B l 1 fam us amendment to the eform il of 867 . O n e th e petition was signed by women householders , other Was from the general public and contained over signatu “ ‘ ’ the in The amendment , to leave out word man ‘ ’ ” order to insert the word person instead thereof was M a 20th c d moved on y , in what was universally con ede t d to be a forcible and eloquen speech , but it was defeate 1 2 by a majority of 3 .

Th e r l M n Fi s t Pu b ic e e ti g .

A 1 4th 1 868 for On pril , , the first public meeting ’ Women s Suffrage was held in the Assembly R ooms of T a t ne t the Free rade Hall , M nchester It was firs Th e meeting in this country addressed by women . wa M s M r . P chair taken by ochin , the ayor of Salford , “ ' and the resolution deman ding Votes for Women on th e ” same - terms as they are or may be granted to men was

! M B b A ! moved by iss ecker , seconded y rchdeacon Sand - A CAMEO LIFE SKETCH . 1 3 f ord , and supported—by one who bears a name that is n . ow world famous Dr Pankhurst . Meetings in Bir m ingh am and other large centres followed and steady headway was made in winning support in the country .

Ma n , a n E p i c e ne Word .

B ut the greatest interest centred round an incident i n t u a t the s r ggle th t must be repor ed at some length . ’ B y the defeat of Mr . Mill s amendment the word ” n man had been retained i the R eform Act . This g ave rise to an interesting point of law which can best be described by some selections from Miss B ecker ’ s 1 l etters on the subj ect . The Act of 867 has struck out the words male person from the electoral law ” (these w R m Act 1 882 ords had been inserted by the efor of , “ b e it will remembered), and substituted the generic " t erm fiian f which even in its ordinary grammatical s 1 s e 1 cen e m ense p , and requires so ething in the context to restrict it to the male sex God made ma n in ’ His own image ; male and female created He them . ” Here the word man means both sexes of man . But there exists an Act of Parliament (Lord Brougham ’ s “ Act A , passed in which provides that in all cts , words importing the masculine gender shall be deemed and taken to include female unless the contrary be I t ffi t expressly provided . is not su cien that the c r m ont ary be i plied or understood , it must be expressly R provided . N0 such provision is found in the epresenta 1 867 tion of the People Act of . Accordingly the rate Act paying clauses of the , which throughout use

are . masculine pronouns , applied to women ratepayers Now we maintain that if the ratepaying clauses touch m m wo en who are ratepayers , the voting clauses ust ” a lso comprehend them. Mere “ lay ” persons will be prepared to admit that this seems a perfectly sound and logical conclu sion ; but the minds of Parliamentarians and Lord LYDIA BECKER ,

Chief Justices move by mysterious ways to amazing — - ex erl ence conclusions as every day p proves .

m u f Th e a o s a se o rl n . n F C C h o to v Li gs . The Manchester Committee resolved to test th e ’ validity of th e women s claim to become voters on the

’ et grounds stated above , and steps were taken to g M B women rat epayers on the register . iss ecker led A - the campaign with the greatest zest . house to a r ( house canvas of women householders in M ncheste o th e was made , and w men sent in their claims to a 857 revising barristers ; in S lford , in Broughton 289 E r and Pendleton , in dinburgh , and a few mo e in other parts of the country followed suit . The revising barristers declined to allow the claims in a good many

n . insta ces , so in order to get a legal decision four cases w th e were chosen for appeal , and ere argued before P 7th 1 868 e Court of Common leas on November , , befor W Lord Chief Justice Bovill and Justices illes , Keating ,

and Byles . Counsel for the appellants were Sir J . D .

Coleridge and Dr . Pankhurst . This case was technically known as Chorlton o. Lings . Th e Second Annual R eport of the Manche ster ’ “ National Society for Woman s Suffrage says : Sir

John Coleridge , in a long and elaborate argument , ‘ spoke in favour of the ancient constitutional righ t of t H e women to take par in Parliamentary elections . produced O opies from the R ecord Office of several m P e th e indentures returning embers to arliam nt , th signatures to which were in e handwriting of women . ' e r The right thus exercis d had , he contended , neve t been taken away by statute . He also cont ended tha ‘ ’ the general term man in the new Reform A ct in m cluded wo en , not only generally , but specifically , B ’ A 1 under the provisions of Lord rougham s ct of 850 . m n th e Judg ent went agai st the women , however , judges ruling that they had no statutory right to be a s ri h t was recognised citizens until that g , expressly ” conferred on them by Act of Parliament . M E—S A CA EO LIF KETCH . 1 5

r m D o pt O rga n isa tio n .

There was a General E lection in progress at th e m t t i ti e his sui was being tr ed , and on the day follow l 1 n i ing the dec s o every candidate fo Parliament re cei ved . a letter signed by Miss B ecker asking him if he would support a B ill g iving votes to women on the same con i i d t ons as men if returned to Parliament . Thus the first note of agit t t iOn throughout the country sounded e u simultan ously with the anno ncement of the decision .

Wom e n in t h e Polli ng B oo t h s .

“ This ruling that the word man in an Act of Parliament included woman when it was a question of paying taxes or other duti es , but not when it was a did f th e question of exercising a privilege . n ot a fect few cases where the revising barristers had allowed the ’ W t a s women s claims . i h char cteristic promptitude Mis Becker sent a circul ar to all whose names were on th e

i e . register , urg ng them to vote and some score of th m did sh e so . Indeed , on polling days in Manchester and Salford ' was kept busy taking women voters to the booths and “ ” sh e a B ouch erett their votes , says , in letter to Miss

were eage rly competed for by the opposing candidat es .

— B a ffle d , to Figh t Aga i n . A t t fter this interes ing contest , which proved tha there was n o chance of getting the suffrage as a side h mb w Act of issue , or t rough the a iguous ording of an s t Parliament , the women et led down to a steady cam ai n m d p g of arduous work . Large eetings were organise 1 8 69 B in all the big industrial centres . In Miss ecker u L went on her first lect ring tour to eeds , Newcastle , and t b other Nor hern towns . It proved to be the eginning t e of a long series , for h re is hardly a town of note in the kingdom in which sh e has not lect ured at some time or other . She was the cleverest , calmest , best balanced speaker t h e movement has ever produced , “ d says Dr . Helen Bl ackburn ; one who always seize 1 6 LYDIA BECKER ,

t h e s th e salient points , who alway got at kernel of the ” “ wa s d matter . Her public speaking marke not only ” by extreme clearness of utterance , says another ‘ “ a c u r c o nt of her powers of orato y , but by its lucid of statement of fact , its grasp subject , and logical ’ force f

Mrs. It was in this year , too , that Fawcett gave ’ h er first speech on the subject at the first Woman s

S f L d 1 7th 1 869 . u frage meeting held in on on , on July ,

Other speakers came forward as time went on : Mrs. ‘ A t Ta l our M A M L aren shwor h Hallett , Miss y , iss gnes , M R t M A An G . . iss hoda arre t , iss C Biggs , Lady na G o n M n re La gton , and iss Jessie Craigen became otable

orators .

H e ro ism . It required considerably more courage in those days for women to get up and speak in public than it

d . oes to day , it must be remembered Our sex has b ecome perhaps a little too glib 1 n these later years of a itation ; at least one cannot imagine a resolution of g , ‘ thanks to women for their lzez ozsm in giv ing such ” a ble and interesting speeches , such as was passed at one b t pu lic meeting in the seventies , hough I daresay some nervous and inexperienced speakers would still c onsider it applicable I

Th f r m n e Fi rs t Vote s o Wo e Pa p e r .

’ M c 1 870 th e of Women s In ar h , , first number the S u f rago Journa l was i ssued. Lydia B ecker was ‘ a edit or and t ppointed , ac ed in that capacity to the end of f ‘ d i u her li e . She spare neither pa ns nor anxious labo r — t o make it what it is a wonderfully exact record of Tev ery step of the movement during the twenty years T — it was published . h e leaders showing political acumen and a knowledge of Parliamentary procedure rare even amongst old P arliamentarians -were written b y her ._ From the first it proved to be an invaluable ti e between the Societies that were then springing up

1 8 LYDIA BECKER ,

f i gentleman in the present year o grace . To us t ‘ appears that the notions regarding women en ert ained by the opponents of th e Bill resemble very closely those ' of the Knight of La Mancha . They decline to regard r m a women as ordina y ort ls , they place them on an ideal t pedestal , invest them with imaginary at ributes and base their arguments on the assumption that women are exempted from the rough trials and burdens of t o th e n -a a t h er life . They refuse recognise real Dulci e e washtub , th y see only the ideal creation of the crazy ’ i . We Knight s disordered bra n must , however , ask honourable members to come down from t h e cloudy e r gions of romance , and to deal with plain , prosaic B ri t “ facts . Our ill does o concern imaginary Dulcineas but r or' ha d working women , who , by daily toil of hand ff a - brain , earn their daily bread . It directly a ects large proportion of the industrial population of this country who are , to use a noted expression , flesh and blood .

E d u c a ti ng t h e E le c to ra te .

Th e Parliamentary story of the cause between t h e two R eform Bills of 1 867 and 1 884 is a monotonous . f E one of de eat and disappointment . leven debates took place in the House on various B ills and R esolutions e b tween those two dates . but , with the exception of the 1 870— w it s first Bill in hich , as already stated , passed

- second reading , there was a constant , though varying , hostile majority . t m an d No hing discouraged the wo en , however, vigorous propaganda was carried on all over the country in th e spirit of better luck next time 1 Needless to say Lydia Becker was the indefatigable of centre round which the majority , the activities d circle . Organising , speaking , writing innumerable of letters and articles , keeping her finger on the pulse r Parliament and public opinion , she was a notable towe n of strength to the movement . Not a single constitue cy in E e e r ngland escap d her attention , and if the m mbe - S E 1 9* A CAMEO LIFE K TCH . were averse to Women ’ s Suffrage she promptly organised meetings and activi ties there .

m . In 1 872, the ost important sign of progress was the formation of a Central Committee in London . R epresentatives of th e various Committees in the s provinces composed it , and it proved a u eful agent for keeping the various Societies in touch with each other and with Parliamentary activities . In 1 878 one hundred large public meetings were B held during the first six months , and Miss ecker spoke at twent y one of them. A yea1 ly average of 200 000 an signatures was presented in petitions , and average of We meetings a week was held 1 n the country m during each yea1 of the seventies . Important Confer ences m an d took place in Birmingha other centres , and superhuman efforts were made to return friends of the cause to Parliament .

”

De m o nst ra t io ns of Wo m e n O n ly .

In 1 880 a series of Demonstrations of wom eI L only was successfully organised . The first was held in th e h 8t . Free Trade Hall , Manchester , on February Others t were held in London , Bris ol , Birmingham , Bradford , G r Nottingham , Sheffield and lasgow ; and Miss Becke appeared and spoke at each one of them . Indeed , the ’ idea of having these great wom en s demonstrations wa s r r originated with her , and first b oached in a lette ’ L r n 1 7 h , M a e 8 9 . t to Mrs. in I am sure when e right ” c we time omes for such a demonstration , she wrote , could organise in the Free Trade Hall such a grand demonstration of women citizens to demand the Parliamentary vote as would not be unworthy to rank a d d with the Liber l emonstration held in the city to ay , ’ and that without the aid of great men s names to draw ” them . The attempt to fill that immense building by an on - and appeal to e half of , the population , that the stay ” “ at - B home half , writes Miss lackburn , was an under 20 LYDIA BECKER , taking that might well make her tremble at her own

c . onception So strong were her doubts that , two or t f hree days be ore the event , she went to the hall to see be whether , if need be , some portions might screened ff B ut o . when the day came there was no need for — off . screening far from it Instead , it became necessary ” t o provide room for an overflow meeting .

Th e Gre a t B e tra ya l .

A Liberal Government was again returned to 1 880 ffr power in , and the extension of the su age

figured prominently in their programme . These D emonstrations of women far eclipsed any t hat were held by the agricultural labourers for whose benefit , and in response to whose presumably urgent d n ew R m Act emand , the efor was to be drafted , and the hopes of the women in the speedy success of their f e forts ran very high . As the time approached for the introduction of t h e B f t ill , the Su frage Societies ben all their energies to securing support for an amendment that would ‘ R i nclude women in the proposed extension . esolu ’ tions favourable to women s sufirage were proposed at all the large gatherings of both political parties . Th e R r n Parliamentary eform Cong ess , the Natio al a n ! Liberal Feder tio , the National nion of Conservative A R ! t ssociations , the National eform nion and o her representative bodies all carried them by large m ajorities . A letter signed by many representative women of th e V day , including Florence Nightingale , Lady erney ,

Mrs . Fawcett , Florence Davenport Hill , Frances M .

. . M E . D So . Buss , Sophia Bryant , B , lizabeth Blackwall , , a nd others equally well known , was sent to every m A m r ember of Parliament . me o ial stating that no measure for the extension of the franchise would be s f un atis actory less it included women , was signed by 1 1 0 r members of Parliament , and p esented to - 21 A CAMEO LIFE SKETCH .

— T Mr . Gladstone but all in vain 1 hough he had in the intervening years apparently repented of his O pposition B ’ B 1 8 . 70 to Mr Jacob right s ill in , and given a qualified R wa s approval to the principle , when the eform Bill brought forward in 1 884 and Mr; Woodall proposed an amendment that the words importing the masculine

m . G gender should include wo en , Mr ladstone vehemently Th e B opposed it . ill had as much as it could carry ’ ” om s f w t W an Su frage would over eigh the ship . ” ff h e I o er it the strongest opposition in my power , ' m and renoun ce said , and I ust disclaim responsibility ” for . the Bill , should the amendment be carried As a r esu lt of this strong lead on the part of th e M 1 04 Prime inister , members broke their pledges , and flung them in the faces of the women of the country apparently without any sense of shame or compunction . ’ - n t M P s Such is the pie crust a ure of . . promises when given t oth e politically impotent .

H is to ry R e pe a ti ng l tse lf in 1 9 1 2 . In spite of this disgraceful treatment of their just m if uf d de ands , I doubt a single s frage worker in those ays imagined even in her bitterest moods of disappointment and disgust that twenty - eight years hence still another R — th e eform Bill , giving vote practically to every boy — of twenty-one in the K ingdom would be introduced t in cl u din woman . wi hout g in its provisions Or that . after the most self- sacrificing and devoted services t o th e r political parties , and an agitation that has car ied ’ the cry of Votes for Women from John o Groats t o ’ E nd — b n Land s , they would still be asked y a other obdurate Liberal ” Prime Minister— to enter the lists ’ of citiz enship by the side track of a private member s amendment— if they can 1

nd S a ve ! s F ro m O u r F rie s . Nat urally the blow dealt by the betrayal of the h eav on e e supposed friends was a very y , for every ext nsion E LYDIA B CKER , of fre edom amongst men leaves woman in a worse “ h position t an before , as she is faced with a bi gger electorate to convert and influence . T G E l t 1 8 6 here was another eneral ec ion in 8 . It seemed for a time as if the Ca use Were about to ; regain l a ost ground r pidly , for at that election the number of ” supporte rs of the pr1 n cipl e returned was the highest et n s t y know , being an ab olute majori y of the whole T . of us house heir support , however , was the ual luke “ ” ; warm kind The time was not yet ripe , and no f o ccasion or debate was secured until 1 892.

A a rl m n r m m P ia e ta y C o i tte e .

1 887 P was e In a arliamentary Committee form d , ’ c w s B c t h Mr . hiefly o ing to Mi s e ker s exer ions , wit , ' B M L aren . Walter . S . as Secretary on the Liberal side Miss Becker acted as Parliamentary agent for the e National Soci ties , and became a very familiar figure n i the Lobbies . She was never admitted to the d eliberations of the Committee , but had to wait until e r the m etings were ove , and then the secretaries o T h anded over t heir minutes t her . hat absurd c b t ustom has een broken down in these la er years , and women delegates now are invited freely to sit on P arliamentary Committees

' l l e in t h r a p g e H a ve st .

The Suffragists during t his Parliament had to

c s w . ontent themselves with dull , patient pade ork Sometimes it seemed as if all t heir work had been in

. B u t vain , and had to be done over again that was not Th the case . e strenuous labours of the early years w n — a b ere beari g a good harvest harvest which , y the o t wn a dvan way , p li icians hastened to reap to their o

tage . Women were no longer out casts from th e educa t i on al s trongholds ; they had a more cultured and t d a wider ou look than their imme i te predecessors . In th ei I struggle for poli tical freedom they had rec eived M O L l F E - S H 28 A CA E KETC . a n excellent education in con temporary politics ; they — were good speakers and organisers a ll qualit ies that could be used in party politics .

n d e we rs of Wood ! pa i H a nd D ra we rs of Wa te r.

The R eform Act of 1 884 had made pa id canvassing ’ i llegal and party agents were at t heir wits end to get t h e large a mount of clerical and other drudgery n w e c o nected ith el ctions done .

‘ Politicians were not willing to sh are with women t h e — power of the vote . but they were quite ready nay , — k eenly anxi ous to welcome them t o a fellowship in l unpaid po i tical work . Politics no longer degraded w omen Canvassing , clerical work , party propaganda a ll these activities were truly womanly designed to m ” gild your future years with sweet reme brances , n — accordi g to Mr . Gladstone so long as they were ' — ’ n dertfik en l n men s interests not in women s ! So a W ’ the great p rty organizations , the omen s Liberal ’ A s n m u W s sociatio s , the Pri rose Leag e and the omen ‘

Liberal ! nionist Associations came into being .

D d n iffic u lt ie s a nd D ivi e d C o u se ls .

’ Th e further history of the Women s Suffrage M ovement does not come within the scope of this i d ’ nadequate review of Ly ia Becker s life work . The end h er 1 890 e 1 888 came to activities in , but arly in s m t n h er y p o s of loss of vigour had distressed colleagues .

“ Th e movement was then passing through a specially d a ifficult time of depression and loss of hope . N turally t h e formation of the party Associations had tended to draw some of the strength and solidarity from the S ff C au se ° and t o u rage , its enemies were quick say that i t was losing ground ; It was inevitable wh en there was n o Bill before th e Ho use to act as an incentive to e m n a - a nthusiastic work , that the move e t should sl cken i t f n a ff l t le , and u ds f ll o ; defections and divided counsels f ollowed as a matt er of course These feat ures com 24 LYDIA BECKER , bined to bring anxiety on the responsible leaders of t u B the movemen , more partic larly Miss ecker , who felt very keenly the divisions with her ol d friends and

- co workers . “ Deep affections lay under her stately and reserved ”

D r . m e demeanour , says . Blackburn Her assive forc of purpose made her strong to endure , and made petti ness of thought an impossibility for her . Her standard r of wo k was very high , and she exacted the best from r herself and from those under her . She had keen app e ci ati on d if met for work well one , but she with anything like deceit or underhand dealing she showed no w h toleration . These were the qualities that dre t e h I ank strong to her . The fussy and self O pinionated s T from her . h e weak might feel overpowered in her m b presence , the over zealous ight be disconcerted y her t cool recep ion of their zeal , but those who had power to appreciate power , appreciated her , according to the ” measure of their own power .

S o m e R e form s Won .

Women had a longer and tougher fight before them than they realised when they embarked on the struggle for political freedom and equality . The end has not come

‘ even yet , but considerable progress has been made in women ’ s emancipation and Miss Becker happily lived n to see some return for her labours . Women were give n the municipal vote , the seats of learni g were opened

to . them , education was extended freely , and the right to sit as members of Poor Law Boards of Guardi ans and School Boards was granted t o them before she passed away

Work o n t h e Ma nc h e s te r S c hool B oa rd .

It was in 1 870 that the first great E ducation Act was passed and women became eligible to serve on the as newly formed Sch oool Boards . Lydia Becker stood an independent c andidate for the first Manchester

26 A B R LYDI ECKE ,

He r R e c re a ti on . Miss Becker apparentl y took her recreation in what would prove to be to most people an arduous and serious task . I have previously alluded to her love for t a an d t the scien ific studies of bot ny as ronomy , and t his love brought her the greatest delight of her life , A participation in the meetings of the British ssociation . The only occasion on which Miss Becker took a rest of any duration from her editorial and secretarial work was when she went in the autumn of 1 884 with the A ssociation to Canada . s On everal occasions she read papers before them , t and generally took part in the discussions . One hat she gave at Norwich in 1 868 provoked a good deal of “ a ttention and controversy . It was on Some

“ Supposed D ifferences in the Minds of Men and

Women in R egard to E ducational Necessities . Certainly the title seems to hint that it would prove provocative of many varying op1 n1 on s I

A B usy Pe n . Besides the arduous work involved in the editor ’ ’ O f Th e Women s S u ra e Journa l M ship f g , iss Becker s

pen was often busy for t h e Cause in other directions . She had a gift of clear and lucid expression that could make even accounts of Parliamentary procedure t in eresting and intelligi ble . wa s She published her first book in 1 864. It a c o c lear and explicit little treatise on B ota ny f or N vi es. a fi It as not a nancial success , however , and that was probably the reason why a companion volume on E le e o m ntal ! y A stron my was circulated I n manuscript only . " In 1 867 an article of hers on F ema le Sufi! aye i n th e

Contempora ry R eview made her name widely known . In 1 872 she published a pamphlet on Ti m P olitica l ' D isa bili ties o Women 1 878 I n ber t f , and another in on y E ua lit a d it — a R e o M r F i tz ames n F ra tern l t . q y, y p y y S trict ures o u ion o n h n th e S bj ect f Wome . W en she went M O - A CA E LIFE SKETCH .

with the British Association to Canada she contributed a series of descriptive letters to Th e Manch ester Gua rdian Time and s. ’ W f e Naturally , omen s Su frage in her articl s was ’ ’ — like King Charles head in Mr; Dick s it cropped up w m continually . The follo ing quotation fro an article “ in Th e lll a nch ester E x aminer on R ecreation for the People is so characteristic of her and still so applicable that I cannot resist the temptation to quote it n The root of the evil , of demoralising entertai ments lies in the contempt and degradation of women n d womanhood , and nothing will cure this evil so long as th e lja f denies to women the full rights of human th e h T . h e beings , power and protection of citizens ip t purification of society is to be looked for , not hrough

repressive legislation , but through the change which will come over men ’ s minds when they shall have learne d to look up on women as political and Soci al 3 ” equals -3

La s t H o u rs, a nd a Lo ne ly d o u rne y . 1 8th 1 890 Lydia Becker died on July ; , at Geneva , e and was buried ther in the cemetery of St . George . She had gone abroad to take a course of baths at

— - Aix les B ains . This did her so much good that she

- Al decided to extend her j ourney into the Savoyard ps . The news of her death fell with a painful stun of surprise f co- t on her riends and workers everywhere , for her le ters home had given accounts of a steady improvement in

health . The record of her last hours was in full accord with th t her life . She was seized with the malady of e hroat t hat proved fatal when she was staying at Gervais - l es ' B and wh en ains , it was at its worst the local doctor told her that the only hope lay in the greater skill of a d — octor in Geneva 40 miles away . After calmly concludi ng all her business arrange sh e ments , started on the long drive to seek life or face d eath . E ven on that dreadful journey her enjoyment 28 B R LYDIA ECKE , of and s the beautiful did not forsake her , several time sh e called the attention of her attendant to the beautiful h er scenery by signs , for the disease had bereft her of m . A G power of speech rrived at eneva , the doctor who t o she wished to consult was from home . She was taken uill ard th e the Clinique J , where the matron saw for th e urgency of the case , telephoned a doctor and did r utmost for her c omfort . Within a few minutes afte d his arrival , sitting in a chair , the valiant soul passe t quie ly away ,

’ Th e La s t Nu m b e r of Th e Wo me n s S uffra ge Jo urn a l .

Th e following notice appeared on the black -bordered ’ h Wo e u ra o o t e m n s S J urna l A 1 890 . cover of f g for ugust ,

It explains itself . “ For t wenty years and four months this j ournal n so has received the impress of one hand and one mi d , it s m that long row of volumes for one continuous work , and now when that careful hand i s laid low and th e energies of that far - seeing mind are carried far beyond u e our mortal ken , it wo ld seem the most fitting cours M B f so to close these pages where iss ecker le t them , s uff that the journal hall be wholly hers , nor s er by change to any less experienced hand or any mind less ” comprehensive . The loss of her guiding spirit lay heavily on th e mm work everywhere . Th e Manchester Co ittee was ” t o e for a time as a body paralysed , quote once mor ’ - The I fl o o o e u i a e from st ry f W m n s S f y . To members a e of Parli ment , to the general public , and in every plac e where the question was alive , she had been the visibl f ” head O the British movement .

F it fo r th e Ki ngdo m .

Lydia Becker takes an honourable place in th e “ ” and f did ranks of the good aithful servants , for she what came to her hand without fear or faltering . Having h er sh e b put hand to the plough never looked ack , M O - 2 A CA E LIFE SKETCH . 9 t hough the furrow she ploughed was a long and st renuous one , and it was not given to her to see the full fruition of her labours . But that the seed th at was sown on that laboriously prepared ground by her and her co-worke rs will come to a full and glorious harvest a s surely as t h e dark shall give place to th e light of day 1 ve h er we all know ; and knowing it , honour her , and g grateful thank s.

SO ME WO MEN’ S F R EE D O M LEAG! E P! B LI CATI O NS

O R D E R F R M O .

n . L i t e r a t u r e S ecr e t ar T o t h e H o y ,

1 R ob e r t t r e et A d el h i . , S , p

I h erewi th encl ose P ost a l O rder or Ch eque for L i tera t ure

indi ca t ed bel ow

M r s. {Mi ss , }

No.

R . e 5 . q u ired . (1 — Work ing Women and th e Vot e B y J C a meron Gra nt —B D e a Woman el th e Nation y Mrs . sp rd ’ — D e a Woman s Eranch ise and I ndustry B y Mrs . sp rd — This Monstrous R egiment of Women B Y F ord Ma dox H u efier Th e I mmoral E ffects of I gnoranc e in Sex R elations B L au e ce u ma y r n Ho s n . ’ — Sex War and Woman s Suffrage B y L aurence Housma n 4d ’ — Towards Women s Lib erty B y M rS B illington -Greig 4d — W . B A . L L . D . . o a e th e L a B G. E aren e . L 4 W m n und r w y g y , , ( ond ) d — W E aren e B A . L D . o a u e th e I u a e B . G. . L . . L 2d W m n nd r ns r nc Act y g y , , ( ond ) — a n P e e : R e l P B W L E ea e Ag i st r j udic A p y to rof. Dicey Y yon l s 4d

- —B i F lorence Nightingale : A Cameo Life Sk etch y Mrs . M ar on Holmes 3 d — - B a me E liz ab eth F ry: A Cameo Life Sk etch y Mrs . M rion Hol s 3d — - B a Lydia B eck er : A Cameo Life Sk etch y Mrs . M rion 3 d — Josephine Butler : A Cameo Life-Sk etch B y Mrs Ma rion Holmes 2d

—B a t Marv Wollstonecroft y M . S . C l y on 3 d Coloni al Statesmen and Votes for Women : An Answer t oLord Curz on 1 d

B . a c m t ch e y J M l ol Mi ll .

— B D r a e ue t Votes for Women and th e Public Health y . H d n G s 1 d — A B . C. of o e fo o B . a me . V t s r W men y Mrs M rion Hol s 1 d — W B . N evi Ancient Suffragettes y Mrs M . . nson 1 d

- M fi B t e v. . B nd eld Déb at e: Sex E quality 71 Adult Suffrage (T . illing on Gr ig o ) 1 d

— B t - G e Sufiragist Tactics : Past and Present B y Mrs . illing on r ig 1 d — o e E ono e o e S B R ev R C am b e 1 S m c mic Asp cts f th W. . Movement y J p ll d — B R R . am b e Wt man Suffrage and th e S ocial E vil y ev. j . C p ll 1 d

é M . ea . M P . R D e fence b T. K C . . ight t o Petiti on y H ly, , 1 d ’ — e Woman s Suffr age in F inland B y Mdme . A ino Ma lmb rg 1 d ’ — B He W N ev Women s Vote and Men y nry . inson 1 d — Woman and Evolution B y L ady Sybil

' ’ ’ A fl y S af r ag e L i ter a t u r e at ta i ned z puhh sh er s na me is gi ven .