suffragettes pre 1914

Question 1

what was the legal position of women ?

Answer 1

• until 1882 women were the property of their husbands
• obtaining a divorce was harder for women
• children were the property of their fathers

Question 2

working class girls in the early 20th century

Answer 2

• after 1870 free education up to age 12
• LEAs could develop secondary schools after 1902
• some argue that state scholls trained young women for domestic service instead of teaching them academically

Question 3

middle class girls education in early 20th century

Answer 3

• majority were still educated by governess
• by 1918 there were a few private schools for girls with an academic curriculum

Question 4

work for women in the early 20th century

Answer 4

• 1 in 3 women were in domestic service
• women were paid an average of 65% of mens wages
• by 1914 women gained the right ti be doctors, architects and teachers
• however law and banking were still closed to women

Question 5

political rights in early 20th century

Answer 5

• from 1894 women could vote in local elections
• in 1907 female rate- payers could participate in all aspects of local government
• from 1870 women could vote for and serve on school boards but this right was removed by the 1902 education act

Question 6

the NUWSS

Answer 6

• millicent fawcett
• federal structure with many branches
• democratic
• had 54000 members by 1914
• supportive of liberals until 1912 when they switched to labour
• non violent

Question 7

the WSPU

Answer 7

• Emmeline Pankhurst
• autocratic
• small
• mostly middle class but some work with working class women
• became quite militant and violent
• would repeatedly interrupt speeches
• blew up lloyd georges house in 1913

Question 8

political response to suffragettes

Answer 8

• majority of conservatives opposed them
• three conciliation bills were put forward but prevented by asquith
• labour party decided to support votes for women which resulted in the NUWSS funding several of their MPs

Question 9

liberal response to suffragettes

Answer 9

• asquith was strongly opposed as was churchill
• LG was scared women would be tories
• prevented conciliation bills from passing
• banned women from liberal meetings
• refused petitions
• classified suffragettes in prison with murderers
• nov 1910 - police brutality results in 1 death and 135 injuries