Votes for Women

In 1918 the Representation of the People Act granted some women the right to vote in parliamentary elections, and the Equal Franchise Act of 1928 gave men and women equal voting rights for the first time. Explore short articles and examine scrapbooks, political pamphlets, photographs and posters to discover how suffragists and suffragettes campaigned for this democratic right.

Articles

Sophia Duleep Singh: princess and suffragette

Anita Anand introduces the extraordinary life of Sophia Duleep Singh and how she fought for equality and women's suffrage.
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‘Women quite unknown’: working-class women in the suffrage movement

Edwardian Britain was sharply divided by class. Sarah Jackson explores the working class experience within the campaign for women's suffrage.
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Suffragettes, violence and militancy

Some suffragettes believed that deeds, not words, would convince the government to give women the vote. Fern Riddell assesses the scale of violent direct action used by militant suffragettes, with a focus on events from 1912 to 1914.
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The campaign for women’s suffrage: an introduction

Discover how suffrage campaigners of the 19th and 20th century secured women's right to vote in the UK. Who was involved in the campaign, what were they fighting for and what methods did they use?
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Edited extract from Helen Pankhurst's Deeds Not Words: The Story of Women’s Rights – Then and Now

In this edited extract from Deeds Not Words: The Story of Women’s Rights – Then and Now (Sceptre, 2018), Helen Pankhurst explores why, 100 years on from some women being granted the vote, the suffragettes continue to hold our interest.
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What is the difference between the suffragists and the suffragettes?

Who were the suffragists and suffragettes, and what are the key differences between them?
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The campaign for women's suffrage: key figures

Use these short biographies to learn about some of the key suffragists, suffragettes and other figures in the campaign for women’s suffrage.
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Women's suffrage timeline

From the first petition to the first female MP, follow the key events during the campaign for female suffrage.
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