Suffragettes

During the first decades of the 20th century, many women took a lively interest in politics in pursuit of the vote. The suffragette movement was active until 1914 when the outbreak of war brought a temporary halt to their campaign. Pressure resumed after 1918 but it was not until 1928 that all women over the age of 21 received equal voting rights with men.

This resource offers a selection of records from 1909 to 1927 that present their stories and the impact they made at the time. The sources themselves come from collections of family papers, government files and criminal jury trials. This in itself reflects the significance of their actions as they came under the close scrutiny of the police, the general public and the local and national press.

Link to background on suffragettes in Scotland.