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Women’s Franchise League (WFL)

60 second histories

This video covers:  The inaugural meeting of the Women's Franchise League

The inaugural meeting of the Women’s Franchise League was held at our house in Russell Square, London on the twenty fifth of July eighteen eighty nine. Our guest speaker was the American suffragist William Lloyd Garrison who warned us of how the United States Abolition Movement had been hampered by individuals who advocated moderation and patience and he explained how this would delay any progress we were hoping to make. The Women’s Franchise League was considered by many as a radical organisation and I believe this was because we didn’t just support women’s suffrage, but we also supported equal rights for women especially when it comes to divorce and inheritance. The league also advocated trade unionism and sought alliances with socialist organisations. Some of our members did not like this approach; they called us the extreme left wing and accused us of radicalising the group. Many of these members left the group and within a year the Women’s Franchise League had fallen apart. Shortly after this, my husband and I returned to Manchester.
Eras: 
20th Century
Suffragette Movement
Victorian
Topics: 
Key people
Suffragette Movement
Character: 
Emmeline Pankhurst
Key words: 
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