Parliament and Suffragettes

Dr Mari Takayanagi, Parliamentary Archives Open Lecture, June 2013 First petition presented to Parliament 1832

House of Commons Parliamentary Debates Women’s suffrage petition from the Mistresses of Dulwich High School, presented to House of Lords, 1884

House of Lords Main Papers, Parliamentary Archives

Suffragists

• National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (1897) – Petitioning – Lobbying – Marching

Millicent Fawcett Palace of Westminster Works of Art reference collection © Palace of Westminster

NUWSS pin badge Metal 2.5cm diameter WOA S745

Suffragettes: WSPU

• Women’s Social & Political Union (1903) – Militant and violent – Campaigns against people and property, including in Parliament

Emmeline Pankhurst Parliamentary Archives, Stow Hill Collection © Palace of Westminster

Daily Graphic, 25 Oct 1906

Palace of Westminster Art reference collection

Police in the Palace

House of Commons Terrace photographed by Benjamin Stone MP c1897 Parliamentary Archives, HC/LB/1/111/9/11 (detail) © Palace of Westminster

Sir H David Erskine Chief Inspector Charles Scantlebury Serjeant at Arms 1885-1915 Private Collection Parliamentary Art Collection Reproduced with kind permission from Celia Clark WOA 4174 www.scantlebury.talktalk.net Chief Inspector Scantlebury's report to the Serjeant, 18 Nov 1910 ('Black Friday') Parliamentary Archives, HC/SA/SJ/10/12/31 © Palace of Westminster

Holloway medal awarded to Emmeline Pankhurst Silver with silk ribbon WOA M0564

Obverse: bar at top of ribbon 'Holloway', bar at bottom of ribbon 'Oct 8th 08, the medal H.2 4' (Hospital block, 2nd floor, cell 4) and silver mark (London 1908).

Reverse: 'Mrs Pankhurst' surrounded by a laurel wreath.

Holloway Prison brooch Silver WOA S694

Awarded to members of the WSPU who had been imprisoned.

Suffragettes: WFL

• Women’s Freedom League (1907) – Militant but non- violent – Non-co-operation with authority, passive resistance

Charlotte Despard Daily Graphic © Palace of Westminster

Grille incident: Suffragette Banner unfurled from the House of Commons Ladies’ Gallery, October 1908

Parliamentary Archives

Drawing of the Ladies' Gallery, House of Commons, published in the Illustrated London News, 12 February 1870

Palace of Westminster WOA 3938 © Palace of Westminster

Grille incident Illustrated London News, Nov 1908 Police report, Parliamentary Archives

Emily Wilding Davison

• WSPU member • Also acted independently • Targeted Parliament • Banned from building

Memorial leaflet, Parliamentary Archives © Palace of Westminster

Emily Wilding Davison in Parliament's police reports

James William Lowther (1855-1949), Speaker from 1905-10, 1911-18, 1919-21 WOA 7089 Letter from the Speaker to the Serjeant, banning Emily Wilding Davison from the building 24 June 1910 Parliamentary Archives, HC/SA/SJ/10/12/27A

Emily Wilding Davison hides in crypt chapel on census night ©The National Archives Leaflet on forcible feeding, thrown into the House of Commons chamber in 1913

Suffragette file Parliamentary Archives

‘Cat & Mouse’ Act 1913

Original Acts, Parliamentary Archives

Representation of the People Act 1918

Original Acts, Parliamentary Archives

Nancy Langhorne, Viscountess Astor (1879- 1964) By Zsigmond Kisfaludi Strobl Plaster (painting to resemble terracotta) WOA S221

First woman MP to take her seat in the House of Commons. She represented Plymouth Sutton 1919- 45.

Equal Franchise Act 1928

Original Acts, Parliamentary Archives

Portrait of Margaret Haig Thomas, Viscountess Rhondda (1883-1958) by Alice Mary Burton WOA 7177

Life Peerages Act 1958 Parliamentary Archives

More at: www.parliament.uk/women

Contact: [email protected] [email protected]

Facebook & Twitter: @UKParlArchives