The Women's Suffrage Movement

‘No Time for Recreations till the Vote is Won’? Suffrage Activists and Leisure in Edwardian Britain

“…It has been labelled "useful and informative", and has been employed extensively to flesh out the lives of suffrage activists and the organisations to which they belonged. [9] It is often cited in key texts on the suffrage movement and has been the subject of an entire article purporting to offer an analysis of the biographies. [10] This, however, should not blind researchers to its undoubted flaws.…”

“…[13] It was launched probably in mid-1913 following the appearance of a suffrage novel by the same publisher: The Poodle Woman was meant to be the first of a series but it was not well received, causing the project to be shelved. [14] A second edition of the SAWWW and an enlarged 1914 production were also promised but failed to appear, not because war intervened, as Park suggests, but as a result of the publisher's misjudgement of sales potential for books on suffrage. [15] A review of The Poodle Woman, though finding it "insufficiently stimulating", had commended its appearance: "time was when commercial success was incompatible with suffrage propaganda".…”

“…Lectures and debates, concerts and formal dinners were organised, particularly in those that catered for the modern, 'professional' woman. The Pioneer was founded in London in 1892 as "a home for women of advanced views" [54] and held a weekly club dinner followed by a debate; the Sesame (1895) organised a literary and educational programme; the Glasgow Lady Artists, formed by exstudents of the College of Art, not only hosted concerts but exhibitions of members' work. Such respectability frequently came at a price.…”

“…[62] At fifteen guineas, however, the annual fee for a club such as the Empress was comparable with the fashionable Carlton club for men. This not only allowed it to employ one of the best orchestras in London [63] but also to offer a lower rate to country members -Irish and Scots women paid as little as five guineas. Even this amount was substantially greater than the subscription for a club such as the Pioneer (two guineas) or the popular International Women's Franchise (IWF) which charged only one guinea, or as little as half a guinea for Irish, Scots or overseas members.…”

“…[70] From the suffrage perspective, Crawford portrayed them as "fertile seed beds" for nurturing the campaign and useful meeting places for tea and talk after processions and demonstrations. [71] Other feminists, however, have been less positive about the women's club movement. It has been argued that, far from opening up the public sphere, the advent of female clubs simply herded women into private enclaves within it.…”