THE SUFFRAGETTES WERE KICKED, BEATEN AND LOCKED UP, THEY FOUGHT BACK WITH A RIOT OF COLOUR
Review by Stan Waight

Jean Cook the speaker at our April meeting, describes herself as a "third generation feminist", but there was nothing in her talk to offend the male members of the audience. Jean holds an M.A. in Women's History and is an adult lecturer at Southampton University.

She began by showing us a poster that she keeps on a wall at home, and which bears the above quotation. The 'riot of colour' was in the sash of purple, white and green worn over a white dress - the uniform of the Suffragettes - representing Majesty, Purity and Regeneration.

The talk ranged over the 40-year history of the Suffragette movement, which culminated in legislation to introduce suffrage for women aged 30 and over in 1918 (the age was not dropped to 21, in line with that of men, until 1928). The campaign started in 1868, and was not, as is commonly thought, merely a campaign by middle class women - working class women were just as fervent, but did not have the spare time enjoyed by their better-off sisters. Nor was it brought about by the effort of women during the 1914-18 war, when the campaigners declared a moratorium until hostilities had ceased, although that did much to change the attitude of the public. Many men did support the cause, and several attempts to introduce legislation had been made in the late 1800's; all were thwarted, however, and the Women's Social and Political Union with its slogan 'Deeds not Words' was formed in 1903. It was not until 1908 that a catalogue of militancy began.

We heard of the distinction between the 'Suffragists' and the 'Suffragettes'. The former being the non-violent campaigners and the latter the extremists (often men-haters) of the movement. There were also women, including Queen Victoria and some of the upper-classes, who were fervently against the idea of universal suffrage because they had no need of it; their position and influence was already enough.

Jean told us of some of the prominent pro-suffrage women - Mary Woolstonecraft, Josephine Butler and, of course, the Pankhursts. Her special heroine was the Southampton campaigner Emily Davis, who couldn't bear militancy. Among the best-known events in the campaign was the death of another Emily, Emily Davison, who had thrown herself in front of the King's horse at the Derby in 1913; this caused little more than a ripple in public opinion, the put-down horse receiving rather more sympathy than the suffragette. Among the prominent men were John Stuart Mill, philosopher an economist, who wrote on behalf of womens' suffrage in the 1860's.

The militants of the movement were often arrested and sent to prison. While there, some of them went on hunger strike, and, even worse, on thirst strike; Jean read graphic accounts of the horror and indignity of forced feeding.

As a male, I was not sure of what to expect when I went to the meeting. In the event, It was a first-class talk by a very eloquent speaker.

!!!! YOUR MUSEUM NEEDS YOU !!!!

We desperately need more volunteers to man the museum on Saturdays between 10am and 4pm - if every able-bodied member did a two hour shift once a month it would make our Secretary Pauline's job so much easier. It is your museum, your Society, your village…. Put something back into the community and phone Pauline and volunteer for museum duty NOW on 023 8046 2490 or see her at the next meeting - you won't be bored there's plenty to see and do!