National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies
Second Annual Report of the Oldham Society for Women's Suffrage.
Year Ending October 31st, 1912
Presented at the Annual Meeting November 16th, 1912,
President: Miss Marjory Lees.
Vice-Presidents: Mrs. Bodden, Dr. Olive Claydon Mrs. Claydon Mrs. McGowan Rev. G.S. Osborn Mrs. J.W. Taylor Rev. A.J. Viner Mr. G.H. Whittaker
Hon Treasurer: Miss A. Mitton, 13 Newport Street,
Hon Secs: Mrs. Bridge, 82, Greengate Street, Mrs. Siddall, 53 Greengate Street.
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Second Annual Report of the Oldham Society for Women's Suffrage.
The Executive Committee has pleasure in presenting the Annual Report. The year has been a busy one for those who take an active part in the work. The end of our first year left us in the thick of a Parliamentary by-election, but as particulars were given at the end of last year's Report they need not be be repeated here. We continued the Educational Work and the Literature Campaign which were outlined in the Syllabus. The end of our second year finds us in a stronger position. We still have two members of Parliament favourable to Women's Suffrage. Our membership is over 320 and, with the addition of 810 persons who have signed cards declaring themselves Friends of Women's Suffrage, we have in close touch with us over 1,130 persons in the Parliamentary Borough. Perhaps some explanation of the scheme known as 'Friends of Women's Suffrage' may be given here. All those who believe that it is just and desirable that women should vote for Members of Parliament may be regarded as Friends of Women's Suffrage whether they belong to Suffrage Societies or not. This is a scheme for enrolling and organising all those sympathisers whether they are men or women, and to whatever class they belong.
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Friends who are thus enrolled will not pay any subscription and will not acquire any rights. They will, however, form an organised body, and though they will first be asked for their names and addresses, the work and effect will not end there. Every member of the Society who can do so is asked to help the scheme by collecting signatures. We shall be pleased to supply cards. We know that there is a great mass of public opinion behind our Movement. Now is the time for us to enrol it. When you have, either in private conversation or at Meetings, collected the names of Friends, please return the cards to the Secretary.
During the year the Executive has had ten Meetings and the members two, in addition to a Social Afternoon Meeting.
A brief outline of the year's work will be of interest.
November:
The President addressed the Hollinwood Church Institute Mutual Improvement Society. There was a good attendance and discussion, and a plentiful distribution of literature. Miss Field held a series of Cottage Meetings, speaking on Women's Suffrage.
December
Mrs. J.W. Taylor organised an American Tea in aid of Funds.
Dr. Olive Claydon lectured to the Greenacres Co-operative Literary and Debating Society on 'The New Woman'. A large audience attended and the discussion was excellent. We distributed a large quantity of leaflets.
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Miss Field read a paper to the United Irish League. The discussion which followed was all in our favour.
January
The President gave a lecture at the Oldham and Distict Teachers' Association at the Lyceum. This was a good Meeting and the discussion very interesting. By request the lecture was afterwards printed. At the expense of the President a copy of a very cleverly written pamphlet entitled 'Homo Sum' was sent to all the men members of the Oldham and Distict Teachers' Association '
February
Miss Robertson, B.A., addressed the Junior Unionists' Association. The members were keenly interested, and many questions were put to Miss Robertson, who answered and discussed in a most enjoyable manner. Literature was sold and also freely distributed.
Donation sent to Suffrage Bazaar in Manchester, organised by the Federation. Over £,2000 raised for Suffrage work.
Dr. Claydon lectured to the Class Teachers' Association, and replied to the fallacies of a previous anti-Suffrage speaker.
Miss Mabel Sharples read a paper to the Queen Street Literary Society.
The President, Secretaries, Mrs. Jagger, and three members of the Society attended the Demonstration at the Albert Hall, London, when Mr. D. Lloyd George, M.P., Lord Lytton, Mrs. Fawcett, and Mrs. Philip Snowden were the speakers. The collection realised £7,000, and included was a donation of £500 from our President (Miss Lees).
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March
Miss Field arranged a Social Evening in the Music Room for those who had attended her Cottage Meetings. Over 80 were present and 20 joined the Society.
A Meeting of Members was held in the Music Room. After an address by the President, Mrs Jagger gave an account of the London Demonstration, and Mrs. Siddall of the Council Meeting. Mr. Barton, M.P., and Rev. A.J.Viner also spoke. A Resolution asking Members ot Parliament to support the Conciliation Bill was carried unanimously
The President and Mrs. Jagger addressed a crowded meeting of the Independent Labour Party.
Defeat of the Conciliation Bill.
Debate between the President and Mr. Butlin, arranged by the League of Young Liberals.
By our request the President spoke for 20 minutes at the Annual Meeting of the Liberal Registration Association. Copies of the 'Historical Survey' were distributed to the audience.
April
Letters of thanks for their support of the Conciliation Bill were sent to Mr. Barton M.P., and Mr. Bartley Denniss, M.P., Lord Lytton, Mr. Agg Gardner, M.P., Sir Alfred Mond, M.P., and Mr. Brailsford.
May
The President, Mrs. Jagger, and Mrs. Bridge attended a Special Council Meeting in London to consider the future Policy of the National Union.
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June
The Members of the Society were At Home to meet the Manchester and District Federation. Tea provided and Mrs. Councillor Lees and Councillor Margaret Ashton, M.A. gave short addresses in the afternoon. In the evening a Public Meeting was held, the Speakers being Mrs. Lees, who presided, Miss Ashton, and F. Stanton Barnes, Esq. There was a good attendance , and the Resolution which was submitted was carried unanimously. 400 copies of a Pamphlet, explaining the New Policy were sent to members.
A Memorial was forwarded to our two Members of Parliament in these terms: -
"We the undersigned, being your constituents, or resident in your constituency, desire to thank you cordially for the support you have extended to the Cause of Women's Suffrage in the past. We respectfully ask you to continue this support by using your vote and influence to secure the Enfranchisement of Women in 1912 by supporting (1) An Ammendment to the Government Reform Bill enfranchising householders and wives of householders or (2) An Ammendment on the lines of the Conciliation Bill enfranchising Women householders only."
We asked for signatures from a selected number of representative persons of weight and influence in the Parliamentary Borough. The Memorial was not a mere haphazard collection of names, the signatures were collected upon a definite plan to fulfil a definite purpose. The Analysis will give you the result.
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The Memorial was signed by:-
The Mayor and 43 Aldermen and Town Councillors.
18 Poor Law Guardians
41 Justices of the Peace
14 Clergymen and Ministers
Leaders of the Conservative Associations
Leaders of the Liberal Associations
Leaders of the Young Liberal Associations
Leaders of the Junior Unionists Associations
Leaders of the Independent Labour Party
Chairman of the Chadderton District Council
Chairman of the Royton District Council
Chairman of the Board of Guardians
And also some of the leading Medical Men of the Borough.
The signatures of four Women were included as Town Councillors and Poor Law Guardians.
Our Members of Parliament kindly showed the Memorial to the Prime Minister, The Party Whips, Mr. Pease, M.P., Mr. Balfour, M.P., Mr. Bonar-Law, M.P., Mr. Brynmer Jones, M.P., and others.
July
We began the Friends of Women's Suffrage Scheme.
August
The Misses Hearne kindly offered to paint a banner for the Society.
Mrs. Councillor Lees gave a very generous and timely donation of £50 to our funds, which at this time of the year are nearly exhausted. With such a gift we were inclined to plunge, so having sent
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September
early in September our grateful thanks to Mrs. Councillor Lees for her donation, and to the Misses Hearne for the beautiful banner, we organised our first Procession and Mass Meeting for October 5th.
October
We were kindly offered the use of Werneth Park for our Meeting. We asembled, by permission of the Parks Committee, on the spare ground near Alexandra Park, and, led by a band, the President and Honorary Secretaries walked in front of the new banner, members of the Society and Mrs. Councillor Lees, in her carriage, followed behind, with the following Associations:-
Oldham Women's Liberal Association
Oldham Workers' Educational Association
Women's Labour League
British Women's Temperance Association
Teachers' Section
Nurses' Section
Graduates' Section
Men's Section
Motor Section
The Procession passed through the principal streets, and aroused much interest. Many beautiful banners were kindly lent. A large crowd joined in the Mass Meeting at Werneth Park. Three platforms were arranged, and the speakers included Mrs. Councillor Lees and Miss Lees, Mrs. Jagger, Dr. Claydon, Miss Margaret Robertson, B.A., Mr. W. Barton, M.P., Mr. J.R. Clynes, M.P., Councillors Buckley, Low, and Middleton, Rev. G.S. Osborn, Rev. A.J. Viner, and Mr. H. Morgan. A letter regretting his absence, through illness, was read from Mr. Bartley Denniss, M.P.
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The following resolution was put from each platform and carried:- "That in view of the admitted justice of the claim of women to the Parliamentary vote and the increasing and earnest demand for it on their part, this Meeting calls upon the Government and the House of Commons to incorporate a measure of Women's Suffrage in the Reform Bill now before Parliament."
during the week preceeding the Demonstration, 10,000 striking handbills were distributed in the town, large posters were placarded, and over 2,000 invitations were posted.
Literature was distributed during the Meeting, badges and copies of 'The Common Cause' were sold, and 250 cards were signed by Friends of Women's Suffrage. The Executive owes its thanks to all who helped make the Demonstration a success, and to the Societies who lent banners.
Miss Lees, Mrs. Jagger, and Mrs. Bridge attended the National Union Council Meeting held in Manchester, and the Society was well represented at a Reception given by the Manchester Society in the Midland Hall to meet Mrs. Fawcett and the National Union Executive.
Great Demonstration in the Albert Hall, Manchester. Speakers, Mrs. Fawcett, Miss Ashton, M.A., Mr. Philip Snowden, M.P., Mr. Lawrence Housman, and others.
In closing the Report, we should like to say just a few words about our paper - 'The Common Cause'. We are sorry to find that some of you have forgotten to repeat your orders. The Secretary goes
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occasionally to enquire from the newsagents how the sales are progressing, and so we know when they decrease. With our membership the number sold should be doubled. Please don't put us to the trouble of coming to canvass you personally. Miss Clementine Black is now the editor, and the paper is still well worthy of your support; indeed, you cannot keep up-to-date in suffrage matters without it.
During the coming year we also want to double our Membership, after our demonstration this will be an easy matter if you will only take it in hand.
We are looking forward to the New Reform Bill, hoping that we shall not be again left out. What more, as law-abiding Suffragists can we do to show our desire for enfranchisement and 'right of way'?
Mr. Lawrence Housman, in his 'Articles of Faith', says:-
"Womanhood, being a thing of nature, cannot fail to evolve into fuller and more efficient form if once granted its right of way, but in this country, neither in the home nor out of the home, in the market of the world, are women's interests and liberties sufficiently safeguarded, to the one they are too often compelled against their will by economic pressure and then left without any economic independence, in the other they are under limitations which are not imposed on men, and are subjected, from the Government downwards, to a process of sweating that has received such general sanction or careless acceptance as to have become a system."
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Will members please note the following arrangements:-
Dec. 3rd - A Public Debate will be held in the Co-operative Hall, King Street, to commence at 7:30pm., between Miss Helen Fraser, on behalf of our Society, and Miss Cordelia Moir, on behalf of the Anti-Suffrage Society. We hope for a good attendance of members.
Dec. 10th - Miss Mabel Sharples will address the Smith Street Independent Debating Society, at 7:30pm.
Dec. 12th - The President will give a Lantern Lecture to the Hope Girl's Guild. Subject :- 'Lands Where Women Have the Vote'.
Jan 12th - Dr. Claydon will give a lecture to the British Women's Temperance Association, at the Friends' Meeting House, Greaves Street.
