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| Plenty of home made bunting. |
Out to Brigg today, to Brigg Women's Institute. I'm a member at Brigg as well as Caistor and on the second Wednesday each month I go to Brigg. Today was Brigg WI's celebration of the hundredth anniversary of start of women's franchise and we combined that with a meeting run with many of the elements which were common in WI meetings in 1918.
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| Holly Mumby-Croft |
Back in 1918 only women over the age of 30 who were householders, the wives of householders, occupiers of property with an annual rent of £5 and graduates of British universities were allowed to vote. Not exactly universal female suffrage. It wasn't until 1928 that women got the vote on the same terms as men.
But 1918 saw that all-important start of women's suffrage and 2018 has seen celebrations of the centenary of the 1918 Representation of the People Act. Brigg WI decided to celebrate the anniversary in style.
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| Kate in charge! |
We stood in our green, purple and white bunting festooned room and sang, "Jerusalem" just as our foremothers would have sung in 1918 and then we watched a demonstration of upcycling. (Early WIs always had a practical demonstration, a talk and an opportunity to socalise) before Councillor Holly Mumby-Croft spoke about her own career in politics. Holly is a District Councillor in North Lincolnshire and last year she stood as a parliamentary candidate winning 17485 votes but sadly the sitting MP won 20916 so she isn't an MP yet,
The WI had a great time. Many of us, (me included) wore "Votes for Women" sashes and Kate, our President was especially stunning.
Thanks for the history lesson. I'm hoping that many of the women running for office here in US will be successful. I think there may be saner politics with women there with a voice.
ReplyDeleteI find it amazing that when my Mother was born women still didn't have the vote. (The franchise was extended well before she was 21 though.)
DeleteLooks like a wonderful event although a reminder of what these day we take for granted, THE VOTE. As a family we love Jerusalem, it was the school hymn when our three girls went to the Grammar school in Skegness, we often sing it hen we are all together.
ReplyDeleteThis is the second time this year that I've sung it at WI.
DeleteThat looks like an interesting afternoon out
ReplyDeleteIt was! I belong two fun WIs.
DeleteThe events held this year for the 100th anniversary have been a gentle reminder of what these brave and courageous women went through for us to have the vote. It's good that we remember and never take what we have for granted.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! This event was great as it was about women's contribution to the political life of our country. There are so any wonderful women who (apart from Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May) seem to get overlooked. My own efforts are confined to voting - but I never neglect the responsibility of casting my ballot.
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