The Conservative and Unionist Women's Franchise Association (CUWFA) was a British

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...

organisation open to members of the

Conservative and Unionist Party The Conservative Party, officially the Conservative and Unionist Party and also known colloquially as the Tories, is one of the Two-party system, two main political parties in the United Kingdom, along with the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party. ...

. Formed in 1908 by members of the

National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies The National Union of Women Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), also known as the ''suffragists'' (not to be confused with the suffragettes) was an organisation founded in 1897 of women's suffrage societies around the United Kingdom. In 1919 it was ren ...

, CUWFA was the third-largest suffrage organisation in Britain before the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

Formation

CUWFA was initially made up of Conservative members of the

(NUWSS), who at the suggestion of

Millicent Fawcett Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett (née Garrett; 11 June 1847 – 5 August 1929) was an English politician, writer and feminist. She campaigned for Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, women's suffrage by Law reform, legal change and in 1897– ...

identified themselves as a separate group at the NUWSS march in June 1908.Pugh (2002) p.116 The Association was formally created in November 1908 as a result of this march, and was open to members of the

who supported the "extension of the Franchise to all duly qualified women". Unlike other conservative organisations such as the

Primrose League The Primrose League was an organisation for spreading Conservative principles in Great Britain. It was founded in 1883. At a late point in its existence, its declared aims (published in the ''Primrose League Gazette'', vol. 83, no. 2, March/April ...

, CUWFA was a

single-issue Single-issue politics involves political campaigning or political support based on one essential policy area or idea. Political expression One weakness of such an approach is that effective political parties are usually coalitions of faction ...

organisation interested only in the enfranchisement of women. The Association was formed for various reasons. The creation of organisations such as the

Men's League for Opposing Woman Suffrage The Men's League for Opposing Woman Suffrage (sometimes referred to as the Men's League for Opposing Women's Suffrage) was founded on 19 January 1909 with Lord Cromer as President, replacing the Men's Committee for Opposing Woman Suffrage, which ...

in the Conservative Party meant that the Party was in danger of becoming largely anti-suffragist unless effective opposition could be organised. In addition the

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

and Labour Parties held the majority in the House of Commons, and as both supported the Suffrage movement it was thought "inevitable" that a bill granting women the right to vote would be pushed through Parliament. The formation of an organised group of Conservatives to promote women's suffrage would prevent the Conservative Party being politically outflanked on the issue. If the Conservative Party became more moderate on the issue of women's suffrage they could play some part in moderating the eventual bill, rather than simply protesting as the Liberal-Labour majority pushed it through Parliament. A Conservative pro-suffrage group was also intended to prevent pro-suffrage women and men leaving the Conservative Party, which would damage the party's standing.

Organisation

Immediately after being formed the Association invited Lady Knightley to become the first President. Lady Selborne took over as President in 1910, and continued as such until 1913, when she was succeeded by the Countess of Fingall.Gordon (2005) p.48 The Presidents were assisted by "an impressive array of eminently titled vice-presidents"; in 1913 there were three

Duchesses Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

, three

Marchioness A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman w ...

es, four

Earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form '' jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particula ...

s and many other members of the nobility working for the Association. By 1913 the Association had 61 different local branches, including one in Ireland which was opened in 1909.Barberis (2005) p.454

Activities

The Association attempted to return

Members of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

who supported the enfranchisement of "all duly qualified women", and educated such "qualified women" in how to exercise their right to vote once it became available. Although ''

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' (f ...

'' accused them of threatening to withdraw support from Conservative candidates who did not support the Conciliation Bill they denied this, claiming they did not act against anti-suffragist Conservative candidates. They were helpful in stymieing the Anti-suffragist movement by denying them support in the Conservative Party, which they had considered to be a bastion of support.Pugh (2002) p.117 They ran two newspapers, the ''Conservative and Unionist Women's Franchise Review'' and the ''Monthly News of the Conservative and Unionist Women's Franchise Association''. The Association became inactive in 1914, when the outbreak of the

forced them to suspend their activities. The Representation of the People Act 1918, passed after the end of the First World War, granted the right to vote to the women that the Association had been representing, making their continued existence moot.

References

Bibliography

*Auchterlonie, Mitzi (2007) Conservative Suffragists: The Women's Vote and the Tory Party, I.B. Tauris. * * * *Sidgwick, Eleanor Mildred, 1845-1936
The progress of the women's suffrage movement
' Cambridge, Bowes & Bowes 1913 {{DEFAULTSORT:Conservative And Unionist Women's Franchise Association 1908 establishments in the United Kingdom 1914 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Feminist organisations in the United Kingdom Organisations associated with the Conservative Party (UK) Organizations established in 1908 Organizations disestablished in 1914 Suffrage organisations in the United Kingdom