The WSPU 1903-1914

What was the 1909 suffrage bill?

Liberal MP Geoffrey Howard introduced a private member's bill for both male and female suffrage, based on a three-month residential qualification. This was carried by 35 votes on its second reading but failed to proceed after extensive debate wasted the time allocated to its passing.

Key factors on the failure of women to gain the vote by 1914

• Asquith's opposition • Parliamentary procedure • Political deadlock over the form female suffrage should take • Escalating WSPU militancy - increased opposition within parliament

Why have historians defended the autocratic organisation of the WSPU?

Pankhurst had experienced years of division and disagreement in previous organisations and wanted to "control" her own to ensure action. Many members claim to have learnt a great deal from the Pankhursts in terms of public speaking and political awareness. Emmeline and Christabel argued that a democratic organisation was less appropriate for their kind of politics. Quick responses and secret, military style planning were deemed necessary.

What types of suffrage did different groups in the WSPU want?

Universal suffrage - Would enfranchise women regardless of class but more difficult to achieve. Property-based suffrage - Would only enfranchise wealthy women but would establish the principle of female suffrage.

What was the WSPU motto?

"Deeds, not words."

How were suffragette prisoners treated after 1908?

"Second Division" - loss of privileges, treated as ordinary prisoners. These measures were designed to undermine the suffragettes by eroding their sense of personal identity

What other militant suffrage groups were there?

- North of England Society for Women's Suffrage - Women's Franchise League, both established in the 1890s .Throughout the 1900s, - the Women's Freedom League - Men's Political Union

Who left the movement because of the military way it was run?

.In 1907, disillusioned with the undemocratic nature of the WSPU, Charlotte Despard and Teresa Billington-Grieg left to form the WLF, taking a fifth of the WSPU's members with them to form a more w.c., pro-Labour movement.

How many suffragettes were imprisoned from 1906-14

0ver 1000

When did the movement for women's suffrage take off?

1860s - petition of 1500 signatures was presented to Parliament in 1866

What militant acts occurred in 1913?

13 paintings in Manchester Art Gallery were hacked apart; streetlights, golf greens and train carriages were damaged. Emily Davison threw herself under the King's horse at the Epsom Derby (4TH June) and became a martyr for the cause.

When did the third conciliation bill fail, and by how much?

14 votes.

How many MPs were elected in 1906 supporting women's suffrage?

415

When was the NUWSS set up?

1897

What was Black Friday, 1910

18th November 1910 - The government refused to debate legislation for women's suffrage and the WSPU responded by sending 300 women to the Commons, where they clashed with police. The police were deliberately rough, assaulting many women, sometimes sexually, leaving several with serious injuries. Christabel declared as all-out sex war against men.

When did Annie Kenney join, and what was her significance?

1905-w.c. element to the WSPU's leadership and strong accomplice to Christabel.

When did the Pethick-Lawrences join, and what was their significance?

1906 . They added much financial and organisational skill. Frederick organised the WSPU's staff and established its newspaper. The couple also encouraged the use of pageantry, music and drama to popularise the cause. Emmeline designed suffragette clothing in the white, green and purple, which symbolised purity, hope and dignity. They administered the WSPU on a daily basis.

How many branches did the WSPU have in 1906 versus in 1911?

1906: 3 branches; 1911: 122 branches.

What happened in 1907 to sever the WSPU from Labour?

1907 the Labour Party conference rejected women's suffrage, preferring to link it to the campaign for extended male suffrage. Kier Hardie remained a long-standing friend to the Pankhursts however

How many times did the WSPU split?

7

By how many votes was the 1917 Representation of the People Bill passed?

385 votes to 55. In each party, there was a majority in favour, with even Asquith changing his mind on the issue.

How many suffragist societies were there in Britain by 1914?

400

What happened in 1905?

A bill for women's suffrage was talked out of Parliament

What were WSPU tactics from 1903-5?

Adopted conventional, peaceful forms of protest used by other suffrage societies, e.g. holding public meetings, distributing leaflets, petitioning Parliament and writing letters. Held meetings in London and cities across Britain.

Why did Christabel's position eventually weaken?

After 1912, Christabel's role diminished when she fled to France to avoid imprisonment but still coordinate WSPU actions from Paris (with the help of Annie Kenney). Emmeline's grip weakened too as, in 1913, she was sentenced to three years' penal servitude for threatening to blow up Lloyd George's house

Why was the first conciliation bill drawn up?

After the election of January 1910, the Liberal government lost its majority but there was still a majority of MPs who favoured female suffrage. This led to the establishment of an all-party committee to address the question: o It consisted of 54 MPs and was chaired by the Conservative Earl of Lytton, whose sister was a celebrated WSPU member. o The conciliation committee drew up a bill for limited women's franchise. o The WSPU suspended militant activities whilst the measure was debated.

What role did Asquith play in the failure of 1913?

Asquith had also persuaded all but three Irish Nationalist MPs to vote against the bill in return for Home Rule legislation. BUT this does not explain the loss of 167 votes (Irish Nationalists only had 74 votes).

What was the second conciliation bill?

Asquith promised that the next parliament would include a bill for female suffrage and a second conciliation bill was passed in May 1911 (255 voted to 88). 2.

How did the Conservative Party Conference show that the WSPU was losing support?

Before 1911, Conservative Party conferences had, on 6 occasions, passed votes in favour of female suffrage. In 1912 and 1913, conferences voted to oppose the measure.

What did the leaders of the WSPU and NUWSS think of the bill?

Both Christabel and Fawcett disliked the bill, believing that it represented a government attempt to introduce a bill so radical it could never pass.

Who made the decision to start a militant campaign, and who inspired them?

Christabel Pankhurst made the decision to adopt the moderate militate tactics of disrupting meetings, demonstrations and heckling. She drew inspiration from the Irish Home Rule movement, led by Charles Parnell, who chose to put pressure on the government rather than targeting individual MPs

Describe the central organisation of the WSPU

Central Committee (unelected) consisting of Sylvia Pankhurst as secretary, Annie Kenney as a paid organiser, and Emmeline P-L as treasurer. Overall leadership remained with Christabel and Emmeline Pankhurst. Unelected subcommittee made up mainly of friends and family of the Pankhursts. Based in Lincoln Inn's Field, London. Central committee controlled all WSPU publications, finances and paid appointments. In 1910, there were 98 office working-women in London, with 26 individuals responsible for regional districts.

What were Christabel's strengths?

Christabel conceived of the militant campaign in 1905, having noticed the impact on the government of disturbances over unemployment - after a riot, a previously abandoned unemployment bill was reintroduced and passed

What did Christabel Pankhurst do in 1907?

Christabel directed a mass campaign of window-breaking - sent to prison for 2 months.

What was the social composition of the WSPU in 1906?

Connections with ILP were severed and WSPU's base changed from Manchester to London. This transformed the WSPU's social composition, as the shift away from socialism encouraged wealthy women to join, which had a positive impact on the WSPU's finances.

What did Emily do?

Davison was a particularly violent campaigner, who frequently acted without WSPU instruction - stone throwing or arson. She underwent several force-feedings in prison and was arrested several times. During the 1911 census, she hid in the chapel of the Houses of Parliament so that she could appear as residing in the House of Commons. In 1912, she spent 6 months in Holloway for arson. In June 1913, Davison was killed after colliding with the King's horse at the Epsom Derby. Unclear whether this was suicide or an attempt to pin a Suffragette flag on the horse

What was Sylvia Pankhurst's significance?

Devoted herself to working for the WSPU as its secretary from 1906. Designed banners, gifts and flags for the movement, which were sold in the WSPU shop that she ran. Arrested in 1906 for disrupting a court case. Although she did not approve of the escalating militancy after 1908, and failed to persuade her family to moderate the WSPU's tactics, she was regularly in and out of prison for acts of militancy. In spring 1913, she was arrested 3 times going on hunger strike the third time. She recognised the political value of imprisonment and force feedings.

Was there dissension in the WSPU?

Elizabeth Wolstenholme-Elmy and the Pethick-Lawrences believed that the violence post-1912 had lost the movement its advantage. Both were expelled from the WSPU.

Who were the main WSPU speakers before 1905?

Emmeline, Christabel, Sylvia and Adela Pankhurst and Teresa Billington-Grieg.

Why were Asquith's views a problem for the cause of suffrage?

He undermined legislative attempts to enfranchise women whenever possible. He did not want militancy to dictate government policy, fearing that agitation was not the same as public opinion. Believed that only very extreme women could want the vote - his wife and daughter certainly did not. As a frequent target for militancy, Asquith's attitude towards the WSPU hardened.

What did the WSPU do with Davison's death?

Her funeral was used as a publicity stunt, with thousands of suffragettes attending. This won the WSPU much public sympathy.

What anti-suffrage societies formed in response to militancy?

In 1910, the National League for Opposing Women's Suffrage was formed with 97 branches nationwide.

Describe the local organisation of the WSPU:

In 1911, there were 64 London and home county branches and 58 further branches in the rest of England, Scotland and Wales. Held considerable autonomy

What was the 1913 government franchise bill?

In 1913, a new franchise bill with cross-party support was debated, which would extend the vote to w.c. men. An amendment was proposed to strike the word "male" from the bill so as to include women (suggested by LG).

How were they initially treated?

Initially given "First Division" treatment (status of political prisoners, allowed to wear their own clothes and receive food parcels

What was the initial WSPU membership?

Initially, membership consisted of a small group of w.c. women, mostly wives of ILP supporters. By summer 1905, had 30 members.

Why did tensions arise between London and the Liverpool branch in 1906?

It gained much support from w.c. women through its preference for open-air meetings, rather than the drawing-room meetings encouraged by the London leaders to encourage more m.c. membership.

What did the NUWSS do in 1907?

It organised its own mass meeting - 3000 supporters - "Mud March."

How was the cause of female suffrage kept alive?

It was the NUWSS that, from 1912, worked with Labour to ensure the vote remained a priority in mainstream politics. The NUWSS's Election Fighting Funding Committee (EFF), which campaigned for pro-suffrage Labour candidates, was valued by the Labour Party during by-elections between 1913 and 1914

Who started hunger striking?

July 1909: Wallace Dunlop went on hunger strike to secure her rights as a political prisoner. She was released after 91 hours

Why did it fail?

LG then announced his opposition to the bill, fearing that it would create thousands of Conservative voters. The cabinet refused the bill any more parliamentary time but agreed that a week would be given to a similar measure in 191

What was the social composition of the WSPU from 1903-6?

Largely composed of northern w.c. women, with connections to the ILP (Labour Party).

Why was party deadlock a problem in gaining women the vote?

Many Conservatives wanted women to have equal suffrage rights with men, with the vote based on the property-based franchise. T he Liberals rejected this, fearing it would add Conservative votes to the electorate. Instead, many Liberals favoured extending the suffrage criteria so that women and more w.c. men would be able to vote. The Conservatives refused this, fearing that it would mean more Liberal/Labour votes. This impasse was to prove virtually impossible to resolve fully.

What did Christabel inspire?

Many acts of arson from 1912, including the burning of cabinet minister Lewis Harcourt's house. She also directed acts of arson on churches, believing that the C. of E. upheld political prejudices against women. 1913-14: 50 churches attacked.

What militant actions occurred in 1911?

Militancy grew more intense but avoided street protests, focusing on property destruction.

Who set up the NUWSS?

Millicent Fawcett

Why did the Hyde Park march occur?

New PM Asquith was unwilling to consider the issue unless there was a clear demonstration that there was sufficient demand in the country. In response, a huge meeting of between 250,000 and 500,000 women met in Hyde Park in June 1908, demanding the vote. Asquith was unmoved.

Why was Millicent Fawcett particularly disappointed with WSPU militancy?

Part of her case was that women were morally superior to men but the WSPU's violence undermined this idea completely. Women were meant to build sympathy for their cause, not terrorise the state.

Was violence successful?

Pre-1908 violence appears to have been useful in promoting women's suffrage and winning support for the cause; however, between 1908 and 1914, it can be regarded as counterproductive, alienating many non-violent campaigners

What is the historiographical significance of Emily Wilding Davison?

Recent historical research has emphasised the role of the individual, autonomous militant protesters - it has been suggested that much militant action was not centrally directed but undertaken independently. Emily Davison is a notable example of this.

How did churchill respond in AMrch 1910

Return of privileges but not given status of political prisoners.

Why did Sylvia disagree with the leadership?

She was a socialist and quickly grew tired of the WSPU's fashionable social composition. Sylvia kept close links with Hardie and devoted her efforts to campaigning in London's East End

What were Emmeline Pankhurst's strengths?

She was an influential speaker, whose argument that women had a unique point of view that required political representation found sympathy among female audiences - she did not claim equality of the sexes but that women required specific consideration in law-making that could only be ensured through female suffrage. This resonated with wives and mothers.

What did Sylvia do in 1913?

Sylvia left the WSPU after quarrelling with her mother and founded the East London Federation of Suffragettes (ELFS) - w.c., democratically organised and included male members.

What was the effect of this failure?

The NUWSS moved to make an alliance with the Labour Party and the WSPU resumed their militant activities, more aggressively than before.

Why did the government franchise bill fail?

The Speaker of the House, James Lowther, shocked everyone by declaring that such as amendment would change the character of the bill and invalidate it. Asquith was greatly pleased by this and refused to draft a replacement bill. More WSPU violence followed

What did Sylvia publish in 1911?

The Suffragette: The History of the Women's Militant Suffrage Movement, 1905 - 1910, which outlined the actions of the WSPU

What happened in February 1907?

The WSPU held the first "Women's Parliament" in Caxton Hall, Westminster. Participants then marched on Parliament and were attacked by the police. 38 women went to court, most were sentenced to a few weeks in Holloway prison.

What militant actions occurred in 1912?

The WSPU targeted artworks and set fire to pillar boxes, continued window smashing. Plus widespread acts of arson.

What was the WSPU journal, and what was its circulation by 1910?

Votes for Women, was over 40,000.

What happened on 25th October 1906?

WSPU group broke into the lobby of the Commons, waving flags and making speeches. Ten were arrested for breach of the peace and went to prison, nine of whom were m.c. and u.c. women.

What happened in November 1910?

WSPU hostilities resumed as a result of the failure of the bill - "Black Friday".

What happened in June 1909?

WSPU organised a march on parliament, during which the windows of the Home Office, Treasury and Privy Council were smashed.

By how much did NUWSS grow from 1902-6?

from 17 to 31 branches

What militant actions occurred in 1906-7?

i. Suffragettes chained themselves to railings in Downing Street and to statues in the lobby of the Commons. ii. Interrupted speeches of Winston Churchill frequently and the WSPU claimed a great victory when he lost his seat in a Manchester by-election.

When and what was the first militant act?

in October 1905 when Christabel and Kenney disrupted a speech by Sir Edward Grey at a public meeting. Both were imprisoned, gaining huge publicity for their cause.

Did the Second Bill pass?

it passed in May 1911 (255 voted to 88).

What were NUWSS methods?

o Focused their attention on persuading individual MPs to support women's suffrage as only Parliament could pass laws to give women the vote. Petitioned Parliament, lobbied MPs, campaigned for those in favour of female suffrage in elections (e.g. leaflets). o However, had to rely on sympathetic MPs putting forward private members' bills as no political party adopted the cause. Such bills were introduced almost every year in the late 19th and early 20th centuries - never passed

Did the First Conciliation Bill succeed?

o It passed its second reading in July 1910 by 110 votes. Asquith opposed the bill; LG and Churchill believed it did not go far enough. o The vote was a great step forward but due to the constitutional crisis of 1910, women's suffrage was taken off the agenda.

What did the First Conciliation Bill propose?

o The legislation proposed that women householders and business occupants, with an income of £10 or more a year, would be able to vote. Marriage was not a disqualification, but husband and wife could not both vote on the basis of the same property. This would have given the vote to women who could already vote in local government elections. o The bill was criticised for granting the vote to only a million women, mostly widows and spinsters.

What was the Cat and Mouse Act, 1913

the 1913 Temporary Discharge for Ill-Health Act (Cat and Mouse Act). The Act ordered that when women were on hunger strike became ill, they would be released until healthy then rearrested. This was demoralising to WSPU members and personally damaging to Emmeline Pankhurst's own health.

How much did the WSPu spend on campaigning from 1906-7?

£2,494

How much was the WSPU able to raise in 1907?

£20,000

What were the arguments in favour of female suffrage?

• Some women already vote in local election and serve as Poor Law guardians - should be able to do so nationally. • Some women are highly educated and pay taxes so should be able to vote. • Examples of women voting in Australia and New Zealand - has not led to disaster. • Women are experts in education and the home so can help Parliament make better laws on these issues. • If women enter Parliament, they will be able to push for laws to improve women's economic position and social status - will enable women to end the exploitation of their sex and achieve equality.

What were the arguments against women's suffrage?

• Women belong in the private sphere - giving women the vote may lead them to neglect their family duties. • Women have a huge, indirect, influence through their husbands on politics anyway so they do not need the vote. • The interests of women are represented in Parliament by their fathers, husbands and sons. • Some women have been granted the vote in local elections and are doing good work in local government - this is women's proper sphere (health, housing, education). • Women do not fight in wars for their country so they should not have a say on questions of war and peace.