The Orcadian Women's Suffrage Association was an organisation involved in campaigning for

women’s suffrage Women's suffrage is the right of women to 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 suffrage was in effect during ...

, based in

Orkney Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland, ...

, Scotland.

Formation

The first meeting of the society was held in the house of James and Bina Cursiter on September 25, 1909. It was formed a month after a visit to Orkney by

Chrystal Macmillan Jessie Chrystal Macmillan (13 June 1872 – 21 September 1937) was a suffragist, peace activist, barrister, feminist and the first female science graduate from the University of Edinburgh as well as that institution's first female honours gradu ...

, by the chair Mary Anne Baikie of

Tankerness Tankerness is a district in the St Andrews parish in Mainland, Orkney, Scotland.Wenham, Shiela "The East Mainland" in Omand (2003) p. 198 Essentially a peninsula, it is about south-east of Kirkwall and east of Kirkwall Airport.

, who led the group to expand rapidly and to bring together men and women, to debate the political developments and to host leaders from national groups.

Activities

The organisation was affiliated to 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 ...

. As such, their activities mirrored those of many other suffragist groups. They conveyed their message by addressing public meetings, distributing leaflets, and writing to the local press to promote the cause of women's suffrage. In 1911, a banner, created by

Stanley Cursiter Stanley Cursiter (29 April 1887 – 22 April 1976) was an Orcadian artist who played an important role in introducing Post-Impressionism and Futurism to Scotland. He served as the keeper (1919–1930), then director (1930–1948), of the Nat ...

and

Christina Jamieson Christina Jamieson (1864–1942) was a British writer, playwright and suffragist known for her association with the Shetland Isles. Life Jameson was born to Robert and Barbara Jamieson on 30 June 1864 at Cruisdale, Sandness on the Mainland of S ...

, of the Shetland Women's Suffrage Society, was taken to London for the Suffrage Coronation Procession.

Links to Scottish Women's Hospitals

In 1912, Dr Elsie Inglis spoke at a meeting of the OWSS in her capacity as Honorary Secretary of the Scottish Federation of Women's Suffrage Societies. After the outbreak of

WWI World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting took place mainly in Europe and th ...

and the foundation of the

Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service The Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Services (SWH) was founded in 1914. It was led by Dr Elsie Inglis and provided nurses, doctors, ambulance drivers, cooks and orderlies. By the end of World War I, 14 medical units had been outfitted and ...

in 1914, the women of the OWSS raised a sum of £30 8s 6d which entitled them to name a bed for 6 months. The society chose to call the bed "Orcadian". Further donations followed and letters were received from soldiers who spent time in the bed.

Notable members

* Dr Mary McNeill * Bina Cursiter *James Cursiter, uncle of Stanley Cursiter

References

{{Orkney Organizations established in 1909 Scottish suffragists Women's organisations based in the United Kingdom Suffrage organisations in the United Kingdom

Formation

Activities

Links to Scottish Women's Hospitals

Notable members

Further reading

See also

References