With next year marking the centenary of women finally winning the right to vote (albeit if aged over 30 and a property owner), we wanted to highlight the superb March of the Women Collection documenting the history of the women's movement, primarily in Great Britain and Ireland, between the late nineteenth century and 1918. With particular focus on the activities of the Suffragette movement from 1903-1914 and the role of women during the First World War, this multi-faceted archive has been compiled over a period of over 30 years and offers a wide range of material including postcards, magazines, pamphlets, books and artefacts such as toys, games and novelty items.
It's an astounding visual record of the way in which the movement worked to influence, inform and persuade public opinion through the production of propaganda. Their adoption of 'the colours', spectacular processions and mass rallies all gave the movement a strong visual presence but the collection is balanced by material also documenting the anti-suffrage movement's vociferous arguments. Images from the Great War period focus on the contribution made by women on the home front - replacing men in all types of employment - and to some extent, their involvement in the various women's organisations at the Front. |
