The Suffrage movement

in Great Britain .

But they still could not vote.

They paid taxes just like men and believed to have a say in how that money should be spent.

Prisoners and lunatics could vote- so why not women?

But still many opposed the women’s suffrage.

Women were often considered simple, too emotional for politics. Many were reluctant to see them break free of their traditional

role.

The early compaigners for the vote were called the Suffragists.

They spread their compaign through peaceful methods-marches, petitions, rallys, posters and leaflets.

• The Liberal party remained reluctant to support them, fearing women’s suffrage would lead to more votes for their rivals- the Conservatives. But the Conservatives refused to support them either.

• The only party who supported women’s suffrage was the Labor. A party too small at the time to be of real significance.

• This lack of progress frustrated many women and led to the formation of the Suffragettes, a radical protest group aimed to attract attention through violence and vandalism.

• In 1908, another bill concerning women’s suffrage was refused by parliament, the Suffragettes had to intensify their campaign. Stones were thrown at 10 Downing street, many women were arrested.

In 1911, another Bill went through Parliament about women’s suffrage. This Bill was popular with many MPs, and it seemed the women would finally get the

right to vote.

But before it could be adopted the Prime Minister Asquith intervened and the Bill was dropped.

Both Suffragists and Suffragettes were furious.

The Suffragists organised a march in London to protest.

The Suffragettes escalated their campaign of violence, they placed bombs in churches and warehouses, cut phone lines,

burnt men’s clubs. Some of them were imprisoned.

Protests continued even in prison, women would go on hunger strikes. The government responded by allowing force feeding.

The campaigners made the most of this, winning a lot of support due to the brutal treatment of

prisoners.

In 1913 the government passed an act which allowed hunger-strikers to leave prison to recover, before returning to serve their sentence.

In 1914, World War One broke out, and the Suggragists and Suffragettes suspended their

campaigns to support the war effort.

• But the Suffragette and Suffragist campaigns brought about the foundation for gaining suffrage- they raised awareness and gathered support.

• The suffrage campaign would have likely led to the vote eventually, but the war quickened it’s arrival.

• At first only women-householders over the age of 30 were allowed to vote.

• In 1928, all women were granted the right to vote.