Source 1:  'The Citizenship of Women: A Plea for Woman's Suffrage', pamphlet by Mr Keir Hardie, MP

 

Description

James Keir Hardie (1856 - 1915) was an active supporter of the women's suffrage movement, and worked closely with Sylvia Pankhurst and other members of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). Keir Hardie became the first socialist MP in Britain, and was among the group that formed the Independent Labour Party in 1893. He was elected as the first leader of the Labour Party.

'The Citizenship of Women: A Plea for Woman's Suffrage' was first published in 1905 by W S Stead.

[NLS Shelfmark: Acc. 3721/148 (2)]

Source: The Women's Suffrage Movement: A Reference Guide, 1866-1928, by Elizabeth Crawford

Transcript

A woman, for the purposes of citizenship, has no legal existence in England, and (this) has to be created before she can be enfranchised. To the uninitiated this may appear absurd and ridiculous, but it (is) the plain, unvarnished truth none the less. A woman may be a criminal, a queen,  a tax and rate player and owner of property, but she may not be a citizen of Great Britain and Ireland until a right to become such has been created by Act of Parliament. If only people would bear this fact in mind they would be saved from much error when considering her claims to the franchise.