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The Beginning of the Suffragettes
National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), also known as the Suffragettes, is formed. A woman named Millicent Fawcent is elected president. Their aim was to fight against injustices against women, including the right for them to vote. -
Making Progress
The Women's Social and Political Union was founded by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia. They organised peaceful marches and demonstrations. They were dedicated to getting the right to vote for women. -
Creating a Stir
It was only in 1905 that the Suffragettes began to start using violence to get what they wanted. Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney interrupted a political meeting in Manchester to ask two Liberal politicians (Winston Churchill and Sir Edward Grey) if they believed women should have the right to vote. Neither man replied. As a result, the two women got out a banner which had on it "Votes for Women" and shouted at the two politicians to answer their questions. -
Protests and Imprisonment
Hundreds of women, including Pankhurst, participated in a rock-throwing, window-smashing campaign throughout London. Pankhurst was sentenced to nine months in prison for her part in the incident. In protest she and many others went on hunger strike. Many of the women, including Pankhurst, were held down and force-fed by prison officers. -
Cat and Mouse Act
The Cat and Mouse Act 1913 enabled the police to release women from prison when they became ill as a result of hunger strike and then re-arrest them when they had recovered their strength, This came after embarrassment for the Government after women were force fed in prison whilst on hunger strike, which angered the public. -
The First Martyr
The most famous act associated with the Suffragettes was at the June 1913 Derby when Emily Wilding Davison threw herself under the King's horse. She was killed and the Suffragettes had their first martyr. Many men asked the question, if this is what an educated woman does, what might a lesser educated woman do? How can they possibly be given the right to vote? -
World War I
During World War I, Pankhurst believed it was her patriotic duty to assist in the war effort and ordered that a truce be declared between the WSPU and the government. All suffragette prisoners were released and began to take on the jobs that were previously done by men. This helped the British Government to grant women the right to vote. -
Making History
The role played by women during World War I persuaded the Prime Minister, David Lloyd George, to grant female householders over 35 years of age the right to vote.The electorate increased from eight to 21 million, but there was still huge inequality between women and men. -
Women In Parliament
The Government pass the Qualification of Women Act, allowing women to become members of Parliament. The first opportunity for women to vote came in December 1918 for the general election in which one woman, Constance Markiewicz, was elected. -
Rights For All Women
The British Government passed theEqual Franchise Act, which gave all women over the age of 21 the right to vote. This act increased the number of women eligible to vote to 15 million.The Suffragettes finally get what they want after years of struggle.
