News / Centenary of Women's Suffrage
Blue Plaque to commemorate Bristol’s pioneering suffrage women
It was on 14 December 1918 that some women were finally granted the right to vote in British Parliamentary elections for the first time.
In Bristol, women queued outside polling stations before they opened on election day and voted in higher numbers than men.
To celebrate 100 years since this historic occasion, a Blue Plaque is to be installed at 3 West Mall, Clifton, to mark the hard work and sacrifice of the city’s suffrage pioneers, who changed the world for future generations.
is needed now More than ever
Thangam Debbonaire says we still have a long way to go before we have true equality
Bristol West MP Thangam Debbonaire will lead a ceremony at 11.30am on Saturday, December 15 to unveil the new sign.
She said: “As a woman voter as well as a woman MP, I know how far we have to come before we have true equality in all aspects of life.
“But, without the dedication and struggle of the women who campaigned for the right to vote, we would have no representation. We would be left out of all decisions affecting our lives. I am proud to be part of celebrating these women’s achievements.”
Some of the Bristol suffrage pioneers. Photo from Bristol Archives
The plaque’s location on 3 West Mall is the former home of Florence Davenport Hill (1828/9–1919), who invited a group of like-minded individuals to a meeting on 24 January 1868, forming The Bristol and West of England Society for Women’s Suffrage.
Although Florence was in her 30s, she needed her father’s permission to hold the meeting.
The Bristol society joined the National Union of Women Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) in 1896, and continued campaigning until all women won the vote in 1928.
Millicent Garrett Fawcett, the leader of the NUWSS, was honoured by a statue in Parliament Square earlier this year.
Lucienne Boyce is still fundraising for the plaque
Draft design of the plaque
The Blue Plaque has been organised by Bristol author Lucienne Boyce, who wrote The Bristol Suffragettes, with the support of the Bristol Civic Society Blue Plaques Panel and the generous permission of the building’s owner.
Everyone is welcome to attend the free unveiling ceremony on December 15.
Lucienne has set up a crowd-funding page for anyone who would like to contribute towards the cost of the Blue Plaque. To find out more, or donate, visit: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lucienne-boyce-1.
Read more: Blue Plaque for Bristol’s suffrage pioneers
Our top newsletters emailed directly to you
