14.2.2

The Suffragettes (WSPU)

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The Suffragettes (WSPU)

The suffragettes were set up by Emmeline Pankhurst and her two daughters Christabel and Sylvia in 1903.

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Aims of the suffragettes (WSPU)

  • Emmiline Pankhurst described the aims of the WSPU in her book ‘My Own Story, 1914’.
    • “To secure for women the Parliamentary vote as it is or may be granted to men. To limit our membership to women and to be satisfied with nothing but action on our question. ‘Deeds not words’ was to be our motto."
    • "Our members are absolutely single minded; they concentrate all forces on one object, political equality with men. No member of the WSPU divides her attention between suffrage and other social reforms.”
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WSPU and NUWSS

  • The WSPU were known as the suffragettes.
  • Similar to the NUWSS, the WSPU also had branches across the country.
  • The Pankhursts controlled the WSPU.
    • There was not the democratic election of a committee or president.
  • The reason the Pankhursts founded the suffragettes (WSPU) was they were impatient with the peaceful methods of the suffragists (NUWSS).
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WSPU arrest

  • In 1905, Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney attended a meeting of the Liberal Party.
    • Christabel and Annie shouted ‘Will the Liberal Government give women the vote?’
  • The police tried to remove Christabel and Annie but Christabel spat in a policeman’s face.
    • Christabel was arrested for assault and spent 7 days in prison.
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Expansion of the WSPU

  • When Christabel was released from prison, a crowd of 2,000 people turned up.
    • The suffragettes realised militancy gave them publicity and got suffragettes in the news.
  • In 1906, the WSPU headquarters moved from Manchester to London.
    • The majority of WSPU members were middle and upper class.
    • Men were not allowed to join.

Jump to other topics

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.4King John

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.6The Black Death

2Worldviews

3The Empire of Mali

4The Renaissance & Reformations, 1500-1598 AD

5The British Empire, 1583-1960 AD

6The Peasants' Revolt

7Religion in the Middle Ages

8Slavery, 1619-1833 AD

9The English Civil War, 1642-1660

10The Industrial Revolution, 1750-1840

11US Independence, 1775-1783

12The French Revolution, 1789-1815

13The British Empire, 1857–1930

14Suffrage

15World War 1, 1914-1918

16The Inter-War Years, 1919-1939

17World War 2, 1939-1945

18The Cold War, 1947-1962

19Civil Rights in the USA, 1954-1975

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