Photos of suffragettes in Holloway Prison

Charlotte sez,

It's International Women's Day today and the London Feminist Network (to whom I proudly belong) have organised the most awesome fundraising event for our conference later this year, a film launch for "Banners and Broad Arrows." In 1832 the women of the United Kingdom were excluded from the Parliamentary franchise. After 71 years this injustice remained. In 1903 the Women's Social and Political Union was formed. This is the story told through their own eyes.

A lecture by writer/director Nigel Shephard, who will be presenting his work so far on the film Banners and Broad Arrows. He tells the story of the Suffragette Movement from its inception in 1903 to its demise at the outbreak of war in 1914, using original still photographs taken by the Suffragettes themselves. The really cool thing about this lecture is that there will be a whole load of pictures on display that have only recently been released from the Official Secrets Act. These never previously published photographs were smuggled out of Holloway prison by campaigners.

This is a great opportunity to discover the history of the suffragettes through their own photographs and to meet the director and share in developing ideas for the film. Please, please come along to demonstrate your support at this first fundraising event to take the film into full production. It's only £10 a ticket and all profits are being split equally between the film producer and the London Feminist Network."

THE KINGS HEAD THEATRE UPPER STREET ISLINGTON 7.30PM SUNDAY 24TH MARCH 2013

Banners and Broad Arrows - never before seen photographs of the suffragettes in Holloway prison (Thanks, Charlotte)

• [Brainspore]

  I know America’s record on Women’s Suffrage isn’t exactly boast-worthy either, but I always thought it was strange that the U.K. was perfectly fine with the idea of having a woman as Head of State yet unable to cast a vote.

  • [Antinous / Moderator]

    Since the monarch can’t vote, that wouldn’t have been seen as a contradiction.

• [Philboyd Studge]

   Oh don’t lean on me man, ’cause you can’t afford the ticket.

• [billstewart]

  I’m appalled that the Official Secrets Act was used to keep this material secret for so long.  (Not surprised, exactly, but still appalled.)

• [Ashley Yakeley]

  Curiously, some of the suffragettes went on to become fascists (e.g., Norah Elam, Mary Richardson, Mary Allen). Elam ended up back in prison during the war as a suspected Nazi sympathizer.

• [Trevor]

  The suffragette featured in the photo is Dora Marsden – egoist, freewoman, author, publisher. She was described as “post everything” in 1913. I publish a quote by her every Wednesday at doramarsden.tumblr.com.