Swindon in the Past Lane

This weekend we will be revealing our poster for the Women’s Exhibition and Craft Sale and in the Votes for Women newspaper published on April 2, 1909 the WSPU were doing the same. ‘A preliminary poster is being prepared, and will be ready as soon as this week’s Votes for Women is in the hands of the readers. The poster, which is 40 ins by 30 ins, is being printed in the colours, and will, it is hoped, be found very useful. Will all who are working for the Exhibition, or who are interested in it in any way, write for a supply of these posters in order that they may be exhibited wherever possible to make the Exhibition known. As this is a preliminary poster, it is important to get it out quickly.’ ‘In connection with the WSPU, a drum and fife band has been recently organised. The services of an instructor have been secured and about twenty members are in training. There is still room for more recruits, who should be able to give Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday evenings to pract...

You will soon be seeing our beautiful poster (designed by Swindon Heritage editor Graham Carter) round town, advertising the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale on November 12. And in March 1909 members of the WSPU were busy organising their Women's Exhibition too. ‘Just before her arrest and imprisonment for taking part in the deputation to the Prime Minister on February 24, Mrs Pethick Lawrence was at work on a beautiful piece of embroidery in the colours intended for the Woman’s Exhibition. And Mrs Pankhurst, having a long railway journey before her between two meetings, considered what she could do for the Exhibition, and, following Mrs Lawrence’s example, also plied her needle at embroidery. With the leaders of the movement thus filling in every spare moment in working for the cause they have so much at heart, it is not surprising that the rank and file follow suit. And at the present moment, with one of its leaders and many brave comrades in prison, and, in co...

In the lead up to 2018, the 100th anniversary of when some (though not all) women got the vote, join us for events celebrating suffragettes and Edith New. Swindon Suffragette in collaboration with Swindon Heritage will be holding a Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale at Christ Church Community Rooms on November 12, 1-4. The inspiration for this event is the Women's Exhibition of 1909 held at the Prince's Skating Rink, Knightsbridge in 1909. During the lead up to the event I will be publishing extracts from the suffragette newspaper Votes for Women following preparations as they developed. The Women's Exhibition The arrangements for the great exhibition to be held in the Prince’s Skating Rink by the Women’s Social and Political Union from May 13 to May 26 are already in active progress. The response to the appeal of Mrs Pethick Lawrence is bearing splendid fruit, and a very large number of friends of the Union have already come forward and offered to ta...

About forty people joined the Swindon Suffragette team on a guided walk around Old Town today visiting the places significant to Edith New, the Swindon born suffragette, who was the first to to chain herself to railings and to break windows at 10 Downing Street as a means of protest in the Votes for Women campaign. Following her release from Holloway prison in August 1908, Edith returned to Swindon to recuperate from her ordeal.  She stayed with her mother at 29 Lethbridge Road where a reporter from the Swindon Advertiser visited her and the following account was published in the newspaper. Swindon Advertiser Monday, September 7, 1908. Votes For Women Miss Edith New in Swindon The Active Suffragist interviewed Swindon to be visited Miss Edith New, whose name has been so prominently before the public in connection with the votes for women campaign, and who is a native of Swindon, has been taking a well earned rest in the railway town during the past fe...