WSPU 1903-1914 Part 2 Flashcards
Why was Sylvia’s stance on the WSPU militancy hypocritical?
She was regularly in and out of prison for acts of militancy
How many times was Sylvia arrested in Spring 1913?
3 times, going on a hunger strike on the third occasion
What made Sylvia stand out from the rest of the Pankhursts?
She was a socialist
What did Syliva believe that the move away from Labour was typical of?
Christabel’s ‘incipient Toryism’
When did Sylvia leave the WSPU?
1913
What did Sylvia found?
East London Federation of Suffragettes (ELFS)
What was the difference between the WSPU and the ELFS?
ELFS included male members and was a democratically organised society
When did Emily Davison join the WSPU?
1906
When did Davison quit her job to campaign full-tme for the WSPU?
1908
What did Emily Davison do before the WSPU?
Worked as a teacher; studied at the University of Oxford
When was Davison killed?
June 1913
Where did Davison throw herself in front of the king’s horse?
Epsom Derby
What has been suggested about WSPU militancy?
Much was not directed by the WPSU, but performed on individual members’ private initiative
When did Christabel’s role in the WSPU diminish?
After 1912
Why did Christabel’s role in the WSPU diminish?
She fled to France to avoid imprisonment
How did Christabel get involved from the WSPU from afar?
Regular meetings with Annie Kenney from Paris
What in particular did Christabel direct from afar?
WSPU’s arson campaign
When did Emmeline’s power diminish?
1913
When was the government seriously considering extending the franchise?
1909-14
What was the problem with the WSPU’s organisation?
WSPU’s autocratic nature was limited and inflexible
What were several political obstacles preventing the success of female suffrage between 1909-14?
PM’s personal opposition; 1910 constitutional crisis; debates over form of female suffrage
When had many pro-suffrage MPs become disillusioned because of WPSU violence?
By 1912
Why could the WSPU be considered pragmatic? (sensible)
They conceived of only a limited extension to the franchise
What was one of the biggest obstacles to female suffrage in 1909?
Party deadlock between Conservatives and Liberals about the form it should take
What kind of female suffrage were Conservative MPs advocating in 1909?
Equal suffrage rights with men
Why did the Liberals reject the Conservative proposal of female suffrage in 1909?
Feared it would add more Conservative votes to the electorate
What kind of female suffrage were Liberal MPs advocating in 1909?
Extending suffrage criteria so that women and more working-class men would have the vote
When did a significant women’s suffrage bill fail?
1910
Which Liberal MP introduced an unsuccessful private member’s bill for both male and female suffrage, based on a 3-month residential qualification?
Geoffrey Howard
How did the 1909 women’s suffrage bill fare in parliament?
Failed to proceed
What did the 1910 bill propose?
Proposed to conciliate the suffrage movement by giving a limited number of women the vote according to their property and their marriage status (approx 1m women)
How did the 1910 bill actually fare in the HofC?
Conciliation Bill carried by 109 votes and was sent away to be amended in the HofC
When was Black Friday?
Nov 1910
What happened on Black Friday?
WSPU resumed hostilities and 300 women were being assaulted by police
How many women died on Black Friday?
3
When was a 2nd conciliation bill passed?
May 1911
What did the 2nd conciliation bill pass by?
255 to 81 - a majority of 167!
Who opposed the 2nd conciliation bill?
David Lloyd George (although a universal suffragist)
Why did David Lloyd George oppose the conciliation bill?
He was convinced that if it were to become law it would hand more votes to the conservative party
Asquith agreed to give female suffrage a week or more for its full discussion in 1912
When was there a 3rd conciliation bill?
March 1912
How did the 3rd conciliation bill fare?
Defeated by 14 votes
How did the female suffrage societies react to the failure of the 3rd conciliation bill?
NUWSS moved to make an alliance with labour
WSPU resumed even more militant tactics
What was part of the reason for the failure of the 3rd conciliation bill?
WSPU’s militant violence - its defeat represented the loss of WSPU’s best peacetime chance to secure the vote
How did Asquith sabotage the 3rd conciliation bill?
He persuaded Irish National MP’s (total 74 votes) to drop their support for the bill in order to secure legislation for IHR
