Suffragettes, Shakespeare and Stratford-upon-Avon

Nikki Pearson

Watch the presentation here (2 minutes in)

Report on the Talk

Nikki is a recipient of the Louis Marder Shakespeare Centre Scholarship, which supported her research into the women’s suffrage movement.

Stratford champion Marie Corelli was one of many who were once opposed to  women’s suffrage, but changed her mind after the First World War, acknowledging women’s contribution to the war effort.

There were two main campaigning groups, the Suffragists and the Suffragettes, the latter being the militant group. There were more than 40 groups in fact.  The term Suffragette was used by the Daily Mail to mock the women, but it was adopted in 1906 by the Pankhursts, who had founded the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1903.  It was both militant and autocratic.

The National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) was led by Millicent Fawcett, in 1897, and advocated peaceful means of protest. It eventually came to represent the majority of suffrage organisations.

The Women’s Freedom League (WFL) was founded by Teresa Billington-Greig and Charlotte Despard in 1907 after breaking away from the WSPU.  It was militant but democratic. Women had been seeking the vote since 1832 when the Great Reform Act widened the suffrage but only to some men. In 1866 the first petition was presented, and 1867 the first suffrage association was formed.  In 1869 female ratepayers were allowed to vote in local elections.

In 1893 New Zealand became the first country to enfranchise women for parliamentary elections. The Women’s Suffrage Society was formed in Stratford in 1907.  It had about 50 members in its first year.  It was not militant, but it produced petitions, postcards, badges and meetings were held, including those with other suffrage groups. Herbert Henry Asquith, Prime Minister until 1916 said, in 1908, that he was against votes for women, unless the majority of women asked for it.  10,000 women marched in London, including representatives from Stratford, with 800 banners.  He came round to it in 1917, after he had lost power!  Unfortunately, Stratford’s banner has been lost.  In 1909 the NUWSS held meetings around the country asking for votes for women to be included in the King’s Speech to Parliament.  However, this did not happen. In April 1909 Stratford’s Liberal M.P., Capt. Malcolm Harvey Kincaid-Smith resigned his seat on the issue of compulsory military training and stood as an independent.  There was an election on 4 May and all of the women’s suffrage groups sent representatives to Stratford, including Christabel Pankhurst, so there was a lot of publicity for women’s suffrage.  However, he was defeated by the Conservative-Unionist candidate. In July 1911 the Suffragettes and the Suffragists staged a peaceful demonstration at which 500 members came from the Midlands.  In July 1913 there was a National Pilgrimage of the NUWSS including Stratford.  There was a noisy gathering at the Fountain in Rother Street and rough treatment of the women, who abandoned the meeting. During World War 1 women were heavily involved in war work, and women over 30 with property, and university graduates, won the vote in 1918.  In 1928 universal suffrage was granted for those over 21 and women could also stand for Parliament. Stratford had its moments of glory, but there was more public activity in larger towns like Leamington Spa.  There were some influential local women, for example Georgina Verney, but they were mainly Suffragists here.  See picture of a list of local supporters.  After the war Suffragette activity declined. It was a very interesting talk with a number of questions from the audience.

Report by Helen Elliott.