National Society for Women's Suffrage

The National Society for Women's Suffrage Manchester Branch

The National Society for Women's Suffrage was the first national group in the United Kingdom to campaign for women's right to vote. Formed on 6 November 1867, by Lydia Becker, the organisation helped lay the foundations of the women's suffrage movement.[1]

Eliza Wigham, Jane Wigham, Priscilla Bright McLaren and some of their friends set up an Edinburgh chapter of this National Society. Eliza and her friend Agnes McLaren became the secretaries.[2] By 1870, branches in Scotland were in Aberdeen, Glasgow, St. Andrews and Galloway.[3]

Jacob Bright, a Liberal politician, supported by a petition from Jane Taylour of the Galloway branch and others,[4] had suggested in 1871 that it would be useful to create a London-based organisation to lobby members of parliament concerning women's suffrage. The Central Committee of the National Society for Women's Suffrage first met on 17 January 1872.[5]

The national society was furthered later by the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies and the Women's Social and Political Union.[citation needed]

  1. ^ "The Early Suffrage Societies in the 19th century - a timeline". UK Parliament. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  2. ^ National Society for Women's Suffrage. Examiner; 14 January 1871; 3285; British Periodicals pg 55
  3. ^ Leneman, Leah (2000). The Scottish Suffragettes (1st ed.). Edinburgh: National Museum of Scotland. p. 24. ISBN 9781901663402.
  4. ^ Crawford, Elizabeth (2003). The Women's Suffrage Movement: A Reference Guide, 1866-1928. Routledge. p. 683. ISBN 1135434018.
  5. ^ "The Early Suffrage Societies in the 19th century - a timeline". UK Parliament. Retrieved 5 January 2018.