Suffragette Fellowship; 1926-1971

The Suffragette Fellowship was founded as the 'Suffragette Club' by Edith How Martyn in 1926 in order 'to perpetuate the memory of the pioneers and outstanding events connected with women's emancipation and especially with the militant suffrage campaign 1905-1914, and thus keep alive the suffragette spirit'. Its aims were widened in 1947: '...to secure women's political, civil, economic, educational and social status on the basis of equality of the sexes, and [co-operate] from time to time with othe reorganisations working to the same end'. Originally the Suffragette Club was to be open to 'All suffragette prisoners, unless they desire not to be; all members of militant suffrage societies between 13 Oct 1905 and 4 Aug 1914; direct descendants of Suffragette Prisoners, pioneer women and men by invitation of the council, who declare their sympathy with the militant campaiging and the suffragette spirit.' The Suffragette Fellowship maintained an annual programme of commemorations, the birthday of Emmeline Pankhurst on 14 Jul, the first militant protest on 13 Oct 1905, and the suffrage victories of 1918 and 1928 celebrated in Jan and Feb respectively. There was also the 'suffrage lecture'. The Suffragette Fellowship published a newsletter between 1947 and 1971, 'Calling all women'. [administrative history taken from 'The Women's Suffrage Movement. a Reference Guide 1866-1928' by Elizabeth Crawford.]