The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A special exhibition on women of the suffragette movement is open at Spalding’s Ayscoughfee Hall.
Opened as part of the inaugural National Democracy week (July 2 to 8), the new exhibit, looks into the lives and environments of the women of the suffragette movement.
This year recognises the 100th year of the first women getting the right to vote. July also marks 90 years since the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act was passed in 1928.
The exhibition at Ayscoughfee takes place in a room with the exact dimensions of a women’s prison cell from the period, 10ft x 6ft.
The exhibition is free and is running until July 22.
The district of South Holland has a special relationship with women in politics, having its first female councillors as early as 1908 and a woman chairman of the council, Mrs E.L Royce appointed in 1920-1921, incredibly early compared to many places.
Coun Elizabeth Sneath said: “It’s incredible to think that 100 years ago women were generally considered to not be capable of voting because they didn’t know their own minds – which is mind-boggling when you think of all the incredibly clever and bright women who lived then, just as they do now.
“It’s so evocative to consider the huge sacrifice made by these wonderful women, who gave up their health as a result of force-feeding whilst in prison. I find it so incredibly sad when people say they cannot be bothered to vote,” she added.
