Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage

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The Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage was a leading group for women's rights in Scotland. It was one of the first three suffrage societies to be formed in Britain.[1]

History[]

The Edinburgh Ladies' Emancipation Society was at one time the focus for women's rights in Edinburgh.[2] This came to an end when Eliza Wigham, Jane Wigham and some of their friends set up the Edinburgh chapter of the National Society for Women's Suffrage on 6 November 1867.[3] Eliza and her friend Agnes McLaren became the secretaries,[4] Priscilla Bright McLaren was the president and Elizabeth Pease was the treasurer. One aim of the group was to influence a change in policy through supportive key politicians (MPs) John Stuart Mill, Jacob Bright and Duncan McLaren.[5]

In 1868, Mary Burton, a member of the Society, went to court, unsuccessfully, for the right to register to vote.[6]

By 1877, Eliza Wigham was still the secretary but she was sharing the role with Emily Rosaline Orme.[7]

Jessie C. Methven became honorary secretary in the mid 1890s.[8] She was succeeded in 1906 by Elsie Inglis.[9] Inglis also played a role in the early years of the , acting as honorary secretary from 1906 to 1914.[10]

Sarah Mair, who was a leading activist for various causes including the Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association, became president of the society in 1907.[11] Suffragette sisters and hunger strikers Arabella and Muriel Scott joined whilst students at the University of Edinburgh (before 1908).[12]

The organisation campaigned until (some) women got the right to vote in 1918, then renamed as the went on to fight for women's issues.[13]

References[]

  1. ^ Leneman, Leah (1991). "The women's suffrage movement in the north of Scotland". Northern Scotland. 11 (First Serie (1): 29–43. doi:10.3366/nor.1991.0004. ISSN 0306-5278.
  2. ^ Edinburgh Ladies Emancipation Society (15 February 1866). "Annual Report of the Ladies' Emancipation Society". Wilson Anti-Slavery Collection: 2. JSTOR 60238978.
  3. ^ Elizabeth Crawford, The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Britain and Ireland, A Regional Survey, Routledge, 2006, p226
  4. ^ National Society of Women's Suffrage. Examiner; Jan 14 1871; 3285; British Periodicals pg 55
  5. ^ Smitley, Megan K. (2002). 'Woman's mission': the temperance and women's suffrage movements in Scotland, c.1870-1914. Glasgow: University of Glasgow. p. 35.
  6. ^ "Mary Burton 1819-1909". WEA Calendar 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  7. ^ Crawford, Elizabeth (2003-09-02). The Women's Suffrage Movement: A Reference Guide 1866-1928. Routledge. ISBN 9781135434014.
  8. ^ Elizabeth Crawford, The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Britain and Ireland, A Regional Survey, Routledge, 2006, p234
  9. ^ Leah Leneman, ‘Inglis, Elsie Maud (1864–1917)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 6 June 2015
  10. ^ Lovejoy, Esther Pohl (1957). Women Doctors of the World. New York: Macmillan. p. 288.
  11. ^ Innes, S (2004). "the Edinburgh Women Citizens' Association". Women's History Review. 13 (4): 621–647. doi:10.1080/09612020400200414. S2CID 205658350.
  12. ^ "Two million reasons why women should always use their vote". www.scotsman.com. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
  13. ^ Leneman, Leah (2000). The Scottish suffragettes. Edinburgh: NMS Pub. p. 8. ISBN 1-901663-40-X. OCLC 46650355.
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