Millicent PressI've been lucky enough to get the Eastcliff mits on a much more rigorous work on the subject recently penned by Ramsgate author Laura Probert. Entitled Women of Kent Rally to the Cause, it's a study of women's suffrage in East Kent between 1909 and 1918. Contrary to popular belief, the suffrage movement was extremely active in this part of the world, and the book gives an invaluable insight, using extensive photographs and press cuttings from the period. Along the way we get to soak up the atmosphere of early 20th Century Thanet.
One of the most shocking aspects to emerge from the book is the way these votes-for-women types were treated by the male populace, and the arguments used against giving them the franchise, such as it might 'damage their nervous dispositions' or even be a danger to national security! My how times have, thankfully, changed!
East Cliff Richard's Thanet Blog 26th May 2008
The books arrived yesterday, in good time, and they look great. It's so pleasing to see a local suffragette history based on original, close-to-the-ground research and I'll be delighted to sell this to my customers"
Naomi Symes Books
"I loved this book; the insight into life just before the first world war,
the opinions of Mr Thornton Bobby (and his cello playing), the by-law about
chalking the promenades and of course the women behaving badly! Thanks,
Laura!"
This was from an anonymous Thanet blogger 6th May 2008
"I must congratulate you on your book - its wonderful!!!! I just thought I'd sit down for 10 minutes with it when I got home Sunday night, but before I knew it 2 hours had passed!!!"
Gwenda Culkin, Librarian July 2008
Well-researched book about right to vote
Laura Probert has written a well-researched book about the changing lives of women in the late 19th and early 20th century, with an emphasis on south-east Kent. There are many black and white photographs and illustartions from contemporary newspapers.
Descriptions about the social life and costume alternate with details of the development and ultimate decline of the struggle for women suffrage. There were three organisations for the emancipation of women, the Women's Social and Political Union, led by Emmeline and Christabel pankhurst, being the most militant - the membership of this body are most remembered for their physical struggle and imprisonment. They were in a minority but got all the public attention.
The National Union of Women's Suffrage concentrated on non-violent rallies and enrolled the majority, while the Women's Freedom league was the smallest of the three. Some of the arguments against women having the vote seem extraordinary today.
Dr Forbes Winslow, an eminent brain specialist claimed that women risked their sanity by indulging in politics. "It is impossible to over-estimate the injurious and pernicious effect of politics upon a women's brain. What mother, what wife, wishes to lose her reason, to wreck her life, for the sake of a fortnight's hystericla effort for the cause." One might say that he was the hysterical one.
Some men supported the cause, but the Dean of Canterbury expressed the view that since women were excluded from the church. the Army and the Navy, they should be excluded from political action as well. The Government received petition after petition , and bills were prepared to be put before the House, but on each occasion they fell.
It was the 1914-18 war that decide the issue. Women took the place of men in so many hitherto male occupations that, in 1918, women over 30 who were property owners got the vote. In 1928 all women were able to vote. It is interestingthat the first country to give women the vote was New Zealand in 1893, and the last Switzerland in 1971.
Reviewed by John Mercer in Bygone Kent August/September 2008
Jo Burn from Radio Kent interviewed Laura in early July and used a couple of extracts from the book to act out scenes in commemoration of the 90th anniversary of women over 30 getting the vote in 1918. The short four minute programme was broadcast on 7th July 2008 during the Dominic King show.
We are particularly pleased to feature a new book (April 2008) by local author Laura Probert: "Women of Kent Rally to the Cause". This book is the first to be published by Millicent Press, a Ramsgate company set up to publish women's history in Kent, and is a well-researched study of "the cause" in East Kent from 1909-1918. The book has 166 pages, with many monochrome illustrations and is available from the museum for £7.99 plus £1.00 p&p.
