The Suffragettes (WSPU)

History: KS3, topic 15.2.2

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

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.”

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).

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.

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.

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