Women's Suffrage 2018
About
Celebrating women's journey towards suffrage, this collaboration includes TORCH (The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities), City and County Council representatives, and other cultural organisations in the city, including Modern Art Oxford.
Over a year-long programme of activities, this group will bring together city-wide initiatives, exhibitions, and public lectures.
Events have included:
100 years since the Representation of the People Act
Tuesday 6th February 2018, which marked 100 years since the Representation of the People Act which granted the vote to women over the age of 30 who met a property qualification. The same Act gave the vote to and enfranchised all men over the age of 21 for the first time.
On 6th February 2018, 21 University of Oxford Colleges, along with the Humanities Division in Radcliffe Humanities (originally the Radcliffe Infirmary), the Music Faculty, the County and Town Halls, Modern Art Oxford, Shepherd & Woodward, and Oxford Castle raised flags which read ‘Votes for Women’ printed on a backdrop of purple, white and green – the colours of the Women's Social and Political Union, which was led by Emmeline Pankhurst.
In the evening, TORCH and City and County Council representatives hosted an evening of celebration of the birth of Olive Gibbs. Known to many as a political trailblazer and leading female activist of her time, Olive was a Labour Councillor on the City and County Councils. She saved Jericho from destruction and got the Cutteslowe wall demolished. She was also a founding member and the national chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). The celebration of Olive Gibbs took place at 6pm, Tuesday 6 February 2018 at Oxford Town Hall. You can watch the video here.
Forthcoming activity will be shared on this page and through the TORCH Newsletter.
Contact:
Victoria McGuinness
victoria.mcguinness@humanities.ox.ac.uk
People
Events
Past Events
Celebration Day for Women's Suffrage at Cheney School (December)
A celebration Day was held to commemorate the first time that some women were able to vote in a British general election.
Celebration Day Schedule:
Formal Opening: Anneliese Dodds, MP for Oxford East & Philippa Bilton, descendant of Emily Davison
Talks: Dr Tom Crook (Senior Lecturer, Brookes History) and Dr Debbie Challis (LSE, Suffragette 18 Project)
Procession: of costumed students with banners through school
Marcia Williams, “Women Who Dared” storytelling for Y7s
Marcia Williams, “Women Who Dared” storytelling for primaries (Years 4, 5 and 6)
The Road Behind, The Road Ahead (September & October 2018)
A project created by The Theatre Chipping Norton to explore the history of the Suffrage movement, and what it means today. This included live performances, a photographic exhibition and newly commissioned pieces of sound-art and music that reflected on experiences of equality from a range of contemporary women from across Oxfordshire.
Performances held (four):
Between 1900 and 1920 there were over 400 female playwrights working in Britain. An evening of these half-forgotten voices from the Votes for Women movement – a stripped back programme of short plays, songs and music that helped to shape Edwardian public opinion and remain relevant, gripping and funny to this day.
Discussion held (11 October after the evening’s performance)
Panel Speakers:
Professor Senia Paseta. Senia is Co-Director of Women in the Humanities at Oxford University whose current area of research is the history of women and political activism in the Britain.
Dr Naomi Paxton. Naomi is a performer, writer and researcher whose doctoral research explored the world of theatre professionals to the suffrage campaign. She edited the Methuen Drama Book of Suffrage Plays.
Dr Sos Eltis is an Associate Professor in the English Faculty, Oxford University, and a Fellow and Tutor in English at Brasenose College, Oxford. She has written a number of articles on women's suffrage literature and theatre, as well as articles on Shaw, Coward, Pinter, Beckett, gothic and sensation literature.
Members of the cast and creative team.
Olive Gibbs: Local Labour politician and national peace campaigner (May 2018)
An exhibition was held to celebrate the centenary of the birth of one of the most influential figures in 20th-century Oxford.
Celebration of the Centenary of the Birth of Olive Gibbs (February 2018)
Talk Held: Olive Gibbs, born February 1918, a Labour councillor on the City and County Councils. She saved Jericho from destruction and got the Cutteslowe wall demolished. She was also a founding member and the national chair of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).
Speakers:
Bruce Kent (former general secretary, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament)
Simon Gibbs (son of Olive Gibbs)
Christine Simm (Oxford Deputy Lord Mayor)
Liz Woolley (Oxford local historian).
Twenty One events were held in February and March 2018 as part of the Oxford International Women’s Festival 2018.
Let's Celebrate.... (March)
To celebrate women’s suffrage across the world an evening of live music and spoken word was hosted by Oxford Love Music Hate Racism.
Journey to the Divine Feminine (March)
A workshop was held: A journey with a drum beat to meet an aspect of the Divine Feminine, and to then explore this through creative expression.
Celebrating Women - Strength in Diversity (March)
We held an audience from a wide range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds with guest speakers talking about their perspective on suffrage, where we were, where we are now and what more needs to be done.
How to Get What You Really Want! (March)
We held a coaching workshop to help ‘identify how to overcome barriers holding you back, and create clear, achievable action steps in order to move you forwards!’
Winning the Vote: Women's Suffrage One Hundred Years' On (March)
A celebration of International Women’s Day! The event was held to explore the theme, ‘Winning the Vote: Women’s Suffrage One Hundred Years’ through music, discussion and debate.
Debate participants:
Millicent Fawcett – President and Founder of the National Union of the Women’s Suffrage Societies (suffragist);
Mrs Winifred Haverfield – Secretary of the Oxford Women’s Suffrage Society (suffragist);
Annie Kenney – Organiser for the Women’s Social and Political Union (suffragette);
Professor Albert Dicey – Vinerian Professor of Law, author of ‘Letters to a Friend on Votes for Women’ (anti-suffragist);
Countess of Jersey – President of the National League Opposing Women’s Suffrage;
Mrs Humphry Ward – Founder of the Women’s Anti-Suffrage League and editor of ‘The Anti-Suffrage Review’.
The debate will be chaired by Baroness Helena Kennedy, QC. Suffrage music will be provided by the Windrush Quartet.
The second part of the evening was a discussion and reflection of what the vote means to women in the 21st century led by:
Diane Atkinson (historian and author of ‘The Remarkable Lives of the Suffragettes’);
Helen Ghosh (DirectorGeneral, National Trust and future Master, Balliol College, Oxford);
Kerry-Anne Mendoza (political journalist, writer and author of ‘Austerity: the Demolition of the Welfare State and the Rise of the Zombie’); a member of the Women’s Equality Party
Chaired by Anneliese Dodds (MP, Oxford East and Treasury Shadow Minister).
A day of wellbeing activities for women (March)
Activities included: Yoga, treatments and classes from Big Beats Dance.
Women's Film Night at Open Screen: Oxford's 'Open Mic' Film Night (March)
An evening of empowering films by and about women.
Why Gender Diversity Matters in Corporate Britain (March)
Discussion: Tea Colaianni, Non-Executive Director of Mothercare, will discussed the most pressing issues facing women in business with Oxford Brookes Professor Simonetta Manfredi.
Women's Voices in Fair Trade (March)
An evening exploring gender was held on fair trade and the ‘tipping point’ – what influences women to take action and have a lasting impact in the fair trade movement. Three women shared stories to explore significant challenges and celebrate the successes.
Dorothy Hodgkin Memorial Lecture: 'Fabulous Fluorine' (March)
A lecture was held to discuss how fluorine chemistry has advanced medical imaging for diagnostic and pharmaceutical drug development.
Speaker: Professor Véronique Gouverneur, PhD. Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford.
Women on the March - A Suffrage Walk around Oxford City Centre (2 walks were held in March)
Women, War and Suffrage (March)
Event held: A selection of women’s poetry and prose from World War I and other areas of armed conflict. Followed by a discussion on the links between war and suffrage.
Words to Action - Reflections from Creators of Peace (March)
Event held: International women sharing stories from past and present times, inspiring us into action. Radical nourishment through words and cake.
Exploring the Menopause Past and Present: Taking the Lid Off the Last Taboo (March)
Two events held bringing together women to learn and share experiences of what the menopause means for women today and what, if anything has changed over the last 100 years.
Talk: From Heart to Empowerment (February)
From Heart to Empowerment – how Biodynamic Body Psychotherapy, pioneered by Gerda Boyesen (1922–2005), could help you bring your passion into life and your dreams into the world.
Make More Noise! Suffragettes in Silent Film (February)
The Ultimate Picture Palace showed a selection of BFI Archive silent films showing how suffragettes were portrayed on the cinema screen while their battles were still being waged on the streets outside as part of the project,
plus a post-screening discussion with:
Dr Katherine Bradley, historian, co-founder of OWIF and member of OWIF Committee;
Debbie Hollingsworth, trade union and women’s activist;
Chair of OIWF Katherine Connelly, author of ‘Sylvia Pankhurst: Suffragette, Socialist and Scourge of the Empire’
Tracy Walsh (Chair), Programme Co-ordinator OIWF.
Sappho to Suffrage: women who dared (March)
The Bodleian Libraries' held a 2018 treasures exhibition Sappho to Suffrage: women who dared marking 100 years since the Representation of the People Act. The exhibition presented more than 80 items showcasing stories of 'women who dared' across the millennia.
Sophia - a Forgotten Suffragette (March)
Event held: A short film and discussion about Princess Sophia Alexandra Duleep Singh, a prominent UK suffragette.
Sylvia Pankhurst - Suffragette Anti-Racist and Anti-Colonialist (March)
A talk was held celebrating Sylvia Pankhurst’s life and work.
Speakers: Professor Mary Davis, Visiting Professor of Labour History at Royal Holloway University of London. Meirian Jump, Archivist & Library Manager, Marx Memorial Library.
News
Blog
Resources
Opportunities
