Women and the vote - timeline of changes

2. Women and politics
Until 1918, women were excluded
from national politics in Britain.
They could not vote in national
elections, and nor could they stand
for election.
Many women - and men - wanted
this to change. They took part in
various actions to achieve this.

3. Early petitions
In 1832, a woman called Mary
Smith (from Yorkshire)
presented a petition to the UK
Parliament asking for voting
rights for women.
In 1866, John Stuart Mill MP
presented another petition to
Parliament, with over 1500
signatures, asking that women
be given the right to vote.

4. Campaign groups
Some women set up groups to
campaign for voting rights.
In 1868, the first public meeting to
demand women’s voting rights
was held in Manchester.
In 1897, the National Union of
Women’s Suffrage Societies (the
Suffragists) was formed.

5. Early 1900s
Numerous campaign actions
happened in the early-1900s.
The Women’s Social and
Political Union (the Suffragettes)
was set up in 1903.
Famous protest marches took
place in 1907, including the Mud
March and Women’s Sunday.

6. Local politics
Women could have some political
influence.
In 1894, some women gained the
right to vote in local elections.
From 1907, women could be
elected to local councils. In 1908,
Elizabeth Garrett Anderson became
Britain’s first female mayor.

7. Failed attempts
There were some attempts
before 1918 to give some
women the right to vote.
Over the years, different MPs put
forward suggested laws - but
they were all rejected.
This includes the Conciliation
Bills in 1910, 1911 and 1912.

8. World War One
When World War One started in
1914, most women stopped their
campaigns.
The Suffragists and Suffragettes
officially suspended their
campaigns to help the war effort.
However some women kept
protesting, including activities
against the war.

9. Women gain the vote
In 1918, some women finally
gained the right to vote.
In order to qualify, they had to be
aged 30+, and either a property
owner or married to one.
In 1928 all women received the
right to vote on the same basis as
men (if they were age 21 or over).

10. Women as MPs
From 1918, women were also now
allowed to stand as candidates in
UK elections.
The first woman elected as an MP
was Constance Markievicz (for
Sinn Fein) in 1918.
The first woman MP elected in
Scotland was Katharine Stewart-
Murray.