Sibford School girls pose as suffragettes

VOTES for women. Votes for women signs were held by a dozen Sibford Junior School girls as they posed as Suffragettes marking the centenary of voting rights for women.

from the passing of the Representation of the People Act, which was passed on 6 February 1918 and gave women over 30 and "of property" the right to vote. Tuesday (today) marks 100 years of voting rights for women

Edward Rossiter, Head of the Junior School, said: “During our morning meeting we spoke about equality and Quaker Values and explained that this week marked the 100th anniversary of the introduction of the Representation of the People Act … a piece of legislation that, for the first time ever, enabled some women over the age of 30 to vote and paved the way for universal suffrage 10 years later.

“The pupils were outraged by the unfairness of the situation and enjoyed dressing up in protest.”

As the anniversary arrived Tuesday (today) a movement has been launched seeking posthumous pardons for the women who were jailed fighting for the right to vote. Records compiled by the England, Suffragettes Arrested, 1906-1914 collection indicate there were more than 1,300 suffragette arrests and many women were jailed.

Emmeline Pankhurst, a founder member of the Woman's Social and Political Union and leading suffragettes Emily Davison and Flora Drummond were some of the women jailed during the campaign for women's votes.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said she will "take a look at" giving pardons but said it would be "complicated".