WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

A collection of 21 photographic postcards showing suffrage activism. A group of postcards showing women's fight for the vote in England from 1908 to 1914. Three show burnt-out buildings that were the target of suffragette arson attacks and are a poignant reminder of the campaign's violence. One was posted by the suffrage activist Joseph Clayton from Clacton-on-Sea, where there was an energetic branch of the WSPU. By 1912, the WSPU was frustrated by years of government prevarication, and decided to increase to include bombing and arson in their militant campaign. Suffragettes targeted symbols of the establishment such as churches, government buildings, and infrastructure. The postcards show the remains of two churches, St Mary's in Wargreave and St Catherine's in Hatcham, and the former home of anti-suffrage politician Arthur Du Cross, Levetleigh House. A message on the postcard showing St Mary's informs the recipient that the fire was "the work of the suffragettes" and promises that "we will go and see [it] when you come over".Other postcards in the group depict rallies, humorous tableaux posed both by suffragettes and their detractors, and individual activists. In total, eight of the postcards were written and sent. The card showing Emmeline Pankhurst's arrest at a rally is inscribed: "These are selling like hot cakes".

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