NATIONAL UNION OF WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE SOCIETIES (NUWSS)
1897 saw the formation of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS). It brought together seventeen societies that actively represented every suffrage society in Britain (Parliament.UK, 2014).
The societies that came together have been published in the following image which can be found at the following website: http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage
The founder of the NUWSS was a lady by the name of Millicent Fawcett.
In 1897, various local women's suffrage societies formed the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, under the leadership of Millicent Fawcett. The NUWSS wanted the vote for middle class property-owning women. They believed they would achieve their end using peaceful tactics - non-violent demonstrations, petitions and the lobbying of MPs. Fawcett believed that if the organisation was seen to be intelligent, polite and law-abiding then women would prove themselves responsible enough to participate fully in politics.
The leadership of the suffragists was exclusively middle class but some of the more radical members recognised early on that the movement needed the support of working class women. The issue of the franchise was drawing women of various sections of society together and giving them an identity which they had lacked until that time (BBC, 2014).
Millicent Fawcett
In 1897, various local women's suffrage societies formed the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, under the leadership of Millicent Fawcett. The NUWSS wanted the vote for middle class property-owning women. They believed they would achieve their end using peaceful tactics - non-violent demonstrations, petitions and the lobbying of MPs. Fawcett believed that if the organisation was seen to be intelligent, polite and law-abiding then women would prove themselves responsible enough to participate fully in politics.
The leadership of the suffragists was exclusively middle class but some of the more radical members recognised early on that the movement needed the support of working class women. The issue of the franchise was drawing women of various sections of society together and giving them an identity which they had lacked until that time (BBC, 2014).
Millicent Fawcett
Millicent Fawcett was born in 1847 and married the Liberal MP Henry Fawcett in 1867. She began a writing and speaking career - discussing women's education and women's suffrage among other issues. After the death of Lydia Becker, Fawcett emerged as the suffrage movement's leader and presided over a committee that eventually became the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) in 1897. Fawcett found support amongst university women as well as many working class women who preferred the NUWSS's peaceful, legal campaigning methods.
Fawcett recognised the positive effect of the First World War on the suffrage campaign and encouraged campaigners to accept the compromise of women over 30 being enfranchised. She resigned as president of the NUWSS in 1919 but was still heavily involved with the organisation, rechristened as the National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship (NUSEC). She campaigned for the legal profession to be opened to women, for example. She died in 1929. http://www.bl.uk/learning/histcitizen
The NUWSS chose to wear the colours Red, White and Green. The colours were a symbol unity and to show support towards the suffrage movement.
Below is an image of a badge which would have been worn by members of the NUWSS to show their support
http://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/electionsvoting/womenvote/parliamentary-collections/collections-19thc-and-suffragists/nuwss-badge/
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