Suffragettes and Suffragists

The women's suffrage movement grew out of a demand for women to be part of the electoral process and have the same rights to vote as men. The National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies was founded by Millicent Garrett Fawcett in 1897. This national, suffragist organization, promoted peaceful protest and allowed men to join. In 1903, Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia founded the Women's Social and Political Union. Taking a more militant approach, the suffragettes demonstrated and were often arrested, where the tactic of hunger strike was often employed. This led to the 'Cat and Mouse Act', when officials could wait until prisoners had nearly died from starvation before releasing them, often to be re-arrested for a petty offence soon after. For the suffragettes, the beginning of World War I saw an end to the hunger strikes and a shift to focus on the war effort. The attention of the suffragists was split during the war with many focusing their efforts on a demand for pacifism. The Representation of the People's Act was passed in 1918, entitling women over the age of 30 who also met specific property requirements, the right to vote. On July 2 1928, this act was extended to include women over the age of 21.