The Women's Freedom League was an organisation in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

from 1907 to 1961 which campaigned for

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the women's rights, right of women to Suffrage, vote in elections. Several instances occurred in recent centuries where women were selectively given, then stripped of, the right to vote. In Sweden, conditional women's suffra ...

pacifism Pacifism is the opposition to war or violence. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaigner Émile Arnaud and adopted by other peace activists at the tenth Universal Peace Congress in Glasgow in 1901. A related term is ...

and

sexual equality Gender equality, also known as sexual equality, gender egalitarianism, or equality of the sexes, is the state of equal ease of access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making, an ...

. It was founded by former members of the

Women's Social and Political Union The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was a women-only political movement and leading militant organisation campaigning for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom founded in 1903. Known from 1906 as the suffragettes, its membership and p ...

after the Pankhursts decided to rule without democratic support from their members.

Foundation and naming

After the announcement that the 1907 Annual Conference of the

(WSPU) would be cancelled and the organisation's committee replaced by one hand-picked by

Emmeline Pankhurst Emmeline Pankhurst (; Goulden; 15 July 1858 – 14 June 1928) was a British political activist who organised the British suffragette movement and helped women to win in 1918 the women's suffrage, right to vote in United Kingdom of Great Brita ...

, a meeting was held to discuss the unconstitutional action in Eustice Miles' restaurant, a

vegetarian Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...

restaurant in Chandos Street,

Charing Cross Charing Cross ( ) is a junction in Westminster, London, England, where six routes meet. Since the early 19th century, Charing Cross has been the notional "centre of London" and became the point from which distances from London are measured. ...

, near the

Strand Strand or The Strand may refer to: Topography *The flat area of land bordering a body of water, a: ** Beach ** Shoreline * Strand swamp, a type of swamp habitat in Florida Places Africa * Strand, Western Cape, a seaside town in South Africa * ...

. As a result, a letter dated 14 September 1907 and signed by

Charlotte Despard Charlotte Despard (née French; 15 June 1844 – 10 November 1939) was an Anglo-Irish people, Anglo-Irish suffragist, socialist, pacifist, Sinn Féin activist, and novelist. She was a founding member of the Women's Freedom League, the Women's Pe ...

Edith How-Martyn Edith How-Martyn (''née'' How; 17 June 1875 – 2 February 1954) was a British suffragette and a member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). She was arrested in 1906 for attempting to make a speech in the House of Commons of the Un ...

, Caroline Hodgson, Alice Abadam,

Teresa Billington-Greig Teresa Billington-Greig (15 October 1876 – 21 October 1964) was a British suffragette who was one of the founders of the Women's Freedom League in 1907. She had left the Women's Social and Political Union - also known as the WSPU – as she ...

, Marion Coates-Hansen, Irene Miller, Bessie Drysdale and Maude Fitzherbert was sent to Mrs Pankhurst insisting that the constitution be honoured, and the Conference be allowed to go ahead. The Pankhursts refused the request, however the meeting was still held on 12 October 1907 at Caxton Hall. Officers and committee members were duly elected for a new organisation, with Charlotte Despard as President. One of the group's first actions was to choose a name for the new organisation via a referendum of the branches. The name "Women's Freedom League" was announced in the ''Women's Franchise'' suffrage newspaper as the winning choice on 28 November 1907.

Objectives and ethos

The League's main objectives were stated in a banner on the front page of ''

The Vote ''The Vote'' is a 2015 play by British playwright James Graham. The play received its world premiere at the Donmar Warehouse as part of their spring 2015 season, where it ran from 24 April to 7 May 2015. Directed by Josie Rourke and set in a f ...

''. From 1909 until 6 July 1928, this read:

OBJECTS: To secure for Women the Parliamentary Vote as it is, or may be, granted to men; to use the power thus obtained to establish equality of rights and opportunities between the sexes, and to promote the social and industrial well-being of the community.

After the

Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928 The Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928 ( 18 & 19 Geo. 5. c. 12) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This act expanded on the Representation of the People Act 1918 ( 7 & 8 Geo. 5. c. 64) which had given som ...

became law, the banner changed from 13 July 1928 issue to read:

OBJECTS: To use the power of the Parliamentary vote, now won for Women upon equal terms with men, to elect women to Parliament, and upon other public bodies; to establish equality of rights and opportunities between the sexes, and to promote the social and industrial well-being of the community.

The League opposed violence in favour of non-violent forms of protest such as the non-payment of taxes, refusing to complete census forms and organising

demonstrations Demonstration may refer to: * Demonstration (acting), part of the Brechtian approach to acting * Demonstration (military), an attack or show of force on a front where a decision is not sought * Protest, a public act of objection, disapproval or d ...

, including members chaining themselves to objects in the

Houses of Parliament The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative ch ...

. The League continued their pacifism during the First World War, supporting the Women's Peace Council. On the outbreak of war, they had suspended their campaigns and undertook voluntary work.

Growth of the Women's Freedom League

The Women's Freedom League grew rapidly throughout Great Britain. In October 1909, How-Martin wrote in ''The Times'' that the League consisted of sixty-five branches and had nearly five thousand members, and many more sympathisers.

Leadership and organisation

Sarah Benett was the League's Treasurer until her resignation in 1910. In 1912, Dr Elizabeth Knight took over as Treasurer from Constance Tite and improved the WFL's financial situation. Before her appointment, the League suffered serious financial problems and on occasions had to appeal to its members for loans. Knight introduced new fundraising schemes for the League. However, finances were also improved by large donations by an "anonymous" person. It is suspected that this person was Knight. The Vote

In 1912,

Nina Boyle Constance Antonina Boyle (21 December 1865 – 4 March 1943) was a British journalist, campaigner for women's suffrage and women's rights, charity and welfare worker, and novelist. She was one of the pioneers of women police officers in Britain. ...

became head of the WFL's political and militant department. Boyle started a campaign for women to become Special Constables. This campaign coincided with the outbreak of the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

in 1914 and the call for volunteers for the war effort which Boyle wished to see taken up by women as well as men. When the request was officially refused, Boyle, together with Margaret Damer Dawson, a wealthy

philanthropist Philanthropy is a form of altruism that consists of "private initiatives for the public good, focusing on quality of life". Philanthropy contrasts with business initiatives, which are private initiatives for private good, focusing on material ...

and herself a campaigner for women's rights, established the first voluntary women's police force-the Women Police Volunteers (WPV). The executive committee included women from around the country, such as Amy Sanderson, a Scottish suffragette and Marie Lawson, a British suffragist. Marie Lawson, as well as WFL members, Alice Schofield-Coates and Muriel Pierotti talked to the historian, Brian Harrison, about the League in interviews undertaken as part of the Suffrage Interviews project, titled ''Oral evidence on the suffragette and suffragist movements: the Brian Harrison interviews.''

Communications and publications

Initially, the league published their communications and notices in ''Women's Franchise''. These appeared alongside news from 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 March 1919 it w ...

and the Men's League for Women's Suffrage from October 1907 until October 1909, when the League established its own newspaper, ''The Vote''. Members of the League who were writers led the production of the newspaper. Louisa Thomson-Price supplied the first cartoon in 1909. ''The Vote'' became the primary means of communication with the public, informing readers of campaigns, protests, and events. The newspaper helped to spread ideas concerning the First World War, allowing for the Women's Freedom League to advocate against the war. Members of the League refused to become involved in campaigning efforts led by the British Army. Members were upset when the women's suffrage campaign came to a halt while the war was in progress.

Protests and events

Anna Munro speaking in front of a banner of the Women's Freedom League Scottish Campaign In 1908 and 1909, members of the League chained themselves to various objects in Parliament in protest. On 28 October 1908, three members of the Women's Freedom League, Muriel Matters, Violet Tillard, and Helen Fox, released a banner at the House of Commons. The women also chained themselves to the grille above a window. Law enforcement had to remove the grille while they were still attached until they could file off the locks that held them connected to the window. This protest became known as the Grille Incident. The WFL introduced "Holloway" brooches in later 1908. Janet McCallum's brooch is dated 28 October 1908 and Muriel Matters and Emily Duval were awarded theirs in December 1908. The WSPU borrowed the idea in April 1909. Two members of the League, Alice Chapin and Alison Neilans, attacked polling stations during the 1909 Bermondsey by-election, smashing bottles containing corrosive liquid over ballot boxes in an attempt to destroy votes. A presiding officer, George Thornley, was blinded in one eye in one of these attacks, and a Liberal agent suffered a severe burn to the neck. The count was delayed while ballot papers were carefully examined, 83 ballot papers were damaged but legible but two ballot papers became undecipherable. Later they were sentenced to three months each in

Holloway Prison HM Prison Holloway was a British prison security categories, closed category prison for adult women and young offenders in Holloway, London, England, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. It was the largest women's prison in western Europe, ...

. Suffragette sisters Muriel and Arabella Scott chained themselves to their seats at a political event and spoke out on behalf of WFL and WSPU policies, at by-election hustings across Scotland. In 1912, actress Florence Gertrude de Fonblanque organised a 400-mile walk from Edinburgh to London. Anna Munro spoke at their departure from Charlotte Square on 12 October. The walkers wore brown uniforms and marched beneath a banner showing the route and objective of their march, which was to solicit signatures for a petition stating:

"We, the undersigned, pray that the Government will make itself responsible for a Bill to give votes to women this session"

The "Brown Women" were named after the brown coats that the walkers wore.

Agnes Brown Agnes Brown(e) or Broun may refer to: *Agnes Brown (17th century), alleged witch of Guilsborough, England *Agnes Broun (1732–1820), mother of Robert Burns *Agnes Brown (19th century), early business owner in Walnut Grove, California Walnut Gr ...

(coincidentally), Isabel Cowe and four others set off from Edinburgh to walk to London. They had white scarfs and green hats and as they travelled they gathered signatures for a petition for women's rights.Gordon, Eleanor. ‘Brown, Agnes Henderson (1866–1943)’, ''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...

'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 200
accessed 23 May 2017
/ref> The hikers had to walk fifteen miles and attend a meeting each day and in this way they took five weeks to get to London. They arrived in London on 16 November to a welcome parade which led the group to Trafalgar Square. Dr Ethel Smyth's The March of the Women was played to accompany them. De Fonblanque took the petition to Downing Street. The League also held protests that advocated pacifism during the First World War.

Post World War One

In the 1918 general election, held on 14 December 1918, as soon as possible after the

Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from t ...

, Despard, How-Martyn and Emily Frost Phipps stood unsuccessfully in London constituencies as

independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in Pennsylvania, United States * Independentes (English: Independents), a Portuguese artist ...

women's rights anti-war candidates following the passing of the

Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 The Parliament (Qualification of Women) Act 1918 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It gave women over 21 the right to stand for election as a Member of Parliament. At 41 words, it is the shortest UK statute. Background The ...

in November 1918, which allowed women to be elected to

Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

for the first time. The WFL celebrated the achievement of partial female suffrage in 1918 and women's full suffrage in 1928 then refocussed the WFL's activities on equality, including

equal pay Equal pay for equal work is the concept of labour rights that individuals in the same workplace be given equal pay. It is most commonly used in the context of sexual discrimination, in relation to the gender pay gap. Equal pay relates to the full ...

and equality of morality. This included being an active member of the Equal Pay Campaign Committee (1941-1956). The WFL later supported member

Helena Normanton Helena Florence Normanton, Queen's Counsel, QC (14 December 1882 – 14 October 1957) was the first female barrister in the United Kingdom. In November 1922, she was the second woman to be call to the bar, called to the Bar of England and Wales, ...

in her bid to become one of the first two women barristers in Britain. The group declined in membership but continued under the leadership of Marian Reeves to organise annual birthday parties for Despard and maintain the Minerva Club in

Brunswick Square Brunswick Square is a public garden and ancillary streets along two of its sides in Bloomsbury, in the London Borough of Camden. It is overlooked by the School of Pharmacy and the Foundling Museum to the north; the Brunswick Centre to the we ...

. After Reeves' died in 1961, the organisation voted to dissolve itself.

Commemorations

On 20 September 2023,

English Heritage English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, a battlefield, medieval castles, Roman forts, historic industrial sites, Lis ...

announced that the 1000th

blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving a ...

in London would be placed at 1 Robert Street in

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

, London. This was the site of the Women's Freedom League's headquarters for its "most active period" between 1908 and 1915.

References

External links

Google News archive of ''The Vote''The Women's Library
which holds extensive suffrage collections

{{Authority control Feminist organisations in the United Kingdom 1907 establishments in the United Kingdom 1961 disestablishments in the United Kingdom 20th century in the United Kingdom Organizations established in 1907 Organizations disestablished in 1961 Suffrage organisations in the United Kingdom