What methods did the Suffragettes use to gain the vote?

• Tasks
• Background
• Teachers' notes
• External links
• Connections to curriculum

Throughout the nineteenth century, women played a prominent role in the fight for political rights. In the second half of the century, three major acts were passed extending political rights – but not to women. Women made only limited progress towards being able to control their own affairs and they did not have the right to vote.

At the end of the century, Millicent Fawcett formed the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, and supporters became known as Suffragists. The campaign gained a higher profile through the actions of the Women’s Social and Political Union, formed in 1903 by mother and daughter Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst.

Use the original documents in this lesson to discover the methods that the Suffragettes used to gain the vote in the twentieth century.

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Tasks

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Background

Following the 1832 Reform Act, demands for the extension of the right to vote continued. The Reform Acts of 1867 and 1884 extended these rights. In 1867, adult male householders and male lodgers paying £10 for unfurnished rooms could vote and in 1884, men living in the countryside could vote under the same terms.

Important rights for women were also fought for. Campaigners were generally the middle-class women who benefited from various acts improving the legal status of women, such as the Married Women’s Property Acts of 1870, 1874 and 1882. The 1869 Municipal Franchise Act gave the vote to some women rate-payers in local elections and also enabled women to serve as Poor Law Guardians. The 1888 County Council Act also gave women the vote at county and borough council elections, but they could not serve as members. This right was not granted until 1907.

However, in 1897 Millicent Fawcett formed the moderate National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) to secure votes for women. The NUWSS was based on a network of local suffrage groups, many of which had been created since the 1860s, when they had attempted to get women included in the terms of the 1867 Reform Act. They lobbied politicians, staged demonstrations, marches and petitions and campaigned to get the support of the public for the cause.

In 1903, Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst formed the Women’s Social and Political Union. The WSPU disrupted public meetings and boycotted the census. They smashed windows, set post boxes and buildings on fire and staged protests. When they were arrested or imprisoned, they went on hunger strikes. These actions gained much publicity and attention for the cause but the WSPU’s campaign possibly alienated some potential sympathisers.

The protesters often clashed with police and with the public. For example, at demonstrations outside the Houses of Parliament on 18 and 23 November 1910, there was violence and arrests. The police were accused of behaving with unnecessary brutality and 18 November became known as Black Friday. In 1913, the campaign stepped up. Emmeline Pankhurst was imprisoned many times and went on hunger strike and was force fed. On 4 June, Emily Davison was killed at the Epsom Derby.

However, protests were put aside as the women joined in the war effort from 1914-18. In 1918, women were able to vote in general elections for the first time. The Representation of the People Act 1918 widened suffrage by abolishing practically all property qualifications for men and enfranchised women over 30 who met minimum property qualifications.

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Teachers' notes

Students use sources from The National Archives to explore the case of Suffragette Emily Davison and find out how the movement campaigned for the vote in Britain.

Starter Activity

Teachers could use the photograph of the Suffragettes outside Parliament as a starter document to introduce the lesson. Show the photograph without the caption first of all.

• What does this photograph reveal?
• What is the significance of the caption provided with the photograph?
• Who do you think was the audience for this photograph?
• Why do you think this photograph was taken?
• What does it infer about the Suffragette movement?
• What is the value of photographs as opposed to written documents?

The first source in this lesson examines a leaflet from the Women’s Social and Political Union describing the force-feeding of Suffragettes at Walton Gaol in Liverpool, December, 1909. Students explore what happened and can consider the nature, tone and purpose of the leaflet. It gives a lot of detail on the brutal treatment of Suffragettes in prison and infers they were not given the rights of political prisoners. Suffrage supporters petitioned the Secretary of State for the Home Office, Reginald McKenna, asking him to give suffrage prisoners the status of political prisoners and put an end to the practice of forcible feeding. The source infers a lot of additional information about the WSPU structure and organisation. We can deduce how they managed funds, created publicity and communicated their demands. Students could discuss what other sources might provide evidence about the Suffragette campaign.

The second source is a photograph taken outside Parliament on 18 November 1910. The man in the top hat is Dr Herbert Mills, the husband of the woman on the ground, Ernestine Mills. Students examine the photograph and its significance. They can consider how this photograph was later used to criticise the government. Teachers could show students the Spotlight On video about The National Archives’ Copyright Office collection, which provides further information on the photograph. A Suffragette leaflet publicising a later demonstration at Parliament on 22 November 1910 is provided for students to explore how they publicised their activities but also conducted a war of words.

The third source consists of extracts from an article called ‘Sensational Derby’ in The Morning Post, 5 June 1913. ‘The Morning Post’ was a conservative paper published in London from 1772 to 1937. The article appears to be hostile to the Suffragette cause in terms of language and tone. It provides useful detail on the career of Emily Davison which reflects various activities carried out by campaigners. Teachers can discuss the meaning of the catalogue code ‘HO’, meaning Home Office. The document is a Home Office record. These records often concern threats to law and order, which explains why this newspaper exists in the collection.

The fourth source is an account by Mary Raleigh Richardson entitled ‘Laugh a Defiance: an autobiography’.  Mary Richardson was a prominent Suffragette who was present at the Derby and witnessed the actions of Emily Davison. This is an opportunity for students to explore the value of autobiographical sources for understanding the past. How does Richardson’s version of events differ from the newspaper account given in source 3?

The final source is a police report on the incident at the Derby, 1913. Students assess the reliability of this source and can discover new information about the events of the 1913 Derby. Discuss with the class what they think Emily Davison was trying to do. It is worth pointing out that her possessions included a return ticket. Did she intend to become a martyr to the cause?

By way of conclusion, ask the students: which document in this collection is the most useful for understanding the tactics used to fight for the vote? How did the government respond to their campaign? What are the limitations of looking at this evidence to evaluate any understanding of the Suffragettes? Teachers could also create further tasks and lessons using our collection of original documents called Suffragettes on File.

You may want to split the lesson for students working individually or use the document sources in paired/group work. All sources are transcribed and difficult language defined in square brackets.

Please note that content in this lesson has been redeveloped from content in our Power, Politics & Protest focussed topic website, which has been archived as the interactive parts no longer work.

Sources

Illustration image:  Photograph from ‘The Illustrated London News’ showing three Suffragettes standing outside the House of Commons with the caption: ‘When patience did not seem a virtue in the eyes of many Parliamentarians, Suffragettes ‘Picketing’ entrances to the House of Commons to persuade members to vote in favour of Women’s Suffrage.

Our photograph illustrates some of the less strenuous methods adopted by the Suffragettes in their endeavours to gain the vote- the peaceful picketing of the House of Commons by ladies of the white, green and purple, who made it their business to persuade as many Members as possible to vote for their cause.’ 1 February, 1913, Catalogue ref: ZPER 34/142. View the full image here.

Source 1. A leaflet from the Women’s Social and Political Union describing the force-feeding of Suffragettes at Walton Gaol, Liverpool, December 1909, Catalogue ref: HO 144/1052/187234)

Source 2a. A photograph taken outside Parliament on 18 November and a handbill publicising a demonstration at Parliament on 22 November 1910, Catalogue ref: COPY 1/551

Source 2b. A handbill publicising a demonstration at Parliament on 22 November 1910, Catalogue ref: HO 144/1106/200455

Source 3. Three extracts from an article called “Sensational Derby” in the Morning Post, 5 June 1913, Catalogue ref: HO 144/1150/210696

Source 4. Two extracts from an account by Mary Raleigh Richardson entitled ‘Laugh a Defiance: an autobiography’. Published by George Weidenfeld & Nicolson: an imprint of The Orion Publishing Group, London, 1953.

Source 5. A police report on the incident at the Derby, 1913, Catalogue ref: MEPO 2/155

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External links

• Royal Holloway, University of London: Video with showing how visual propaganda sources were used for and against the Suffragette movement.
• More information from Parliament on the history of the Suffragettes
• Museum of London: More information on the history of the Suffragettes plus an online exhibition called ‘Votes for Women’ with original documents and objects

Connections to curriculum

Key stage 3

Challenges for Britain, Europe and the wider world 1901 to the present day: Women’s suffrage

Key stage 4

AQA GCSE History: Britain: Power and the people: c1170 to the present day. Equality and rights

OCR GCSE History: Power: Monarchy and Democracy in Britain c.1000 to 2014: the struggle for the vote for women and the reasons why it was won for some women in 1918.

Key stage 5

AQA GCE History: Challenge and transformation: Britain, c1851–1964: Challenges to the status quo, c1886–1914

Edexcel GCE History: Protest, agitation and parliamentary reform in Britain, c1780–1928: The Women’s Social and Political Union, 1903–14

OCR GCE History: Liberals, Conservatives and the Rise of Labour 1846–1918: the role of women in the war, and the extension of the franchise in 1918.

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