TIMELINE

1832 First Reform Act: Male householders gain the vote. 1866 Hastings resident Barbara Bodichon draws up petition demanding votes for women. Gathers 1500 signatures. 1867 Liberal MP John Stuart Mill calls for women to be included in the Second Reform Bill. He fails to convince the House of Commons. London Society for Women’s Suffrage formed. 1869 Women ratepayers can vote in local elections. 1871 First women’s suffrage meeting takes place in Hastings. 1880sLocal women hold ‘drawing room’ meetings. 1883 Hastings and St Leonards Women’s Suffrage Society (HSLWSS) formed to campaign for votes for women. 1884 Third Reform Act: male

6agricultural labourers gain the vote, but not women. 1897 National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) formed, led by Millicent Fawcett. (Suffragists) 1903 Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) formed led by Emmeline Pankhurst. (Suffragettes) HSLWSS opens office in 29 Havelock Road. 1904 Women’s Freedom League (WLF) founded 1905 Suffragette militancy begins. 1907 The ‘Mud March’ demonstration, London 1908 February: Christabel Pankhurst, Flora Drummond and Mrs Martel mobbed in Wellington Square, Hastings March: Emmeline Pankhurst speaks at the Royal Concert Hall, Warrior Gardens. June: Hastings suffragists and suffragettes travel to London for huge suffrage demonstration.

July: Muriel Matters and friends are pelted with fish heads in the Old Town. November: ‘Black Friday’ police attack suffragettes outside Parliament, London, many injured (below).

1909 Local NUWSS branch formed. Hastings and St Leonards Women’s Suffrage Propaganda League launched; Isabella Darent Harrison, secretary. July: Marian Wallace Dunlop becomes first suffragette to go on hunger strike; force-feeding begins. 1910-12 Parliament debates Conciliation Bills, which would give some women the vote, but none pass. 1911 Local WSPU branch formed Hastings with office at 8 Trinity Street. April: Local suffragists and suffragettes evade the census. 1912-13 Militancy increases; suffragettes smash windows in London. 1912 May: Hastings campaigners refuse to pay taxes, barricade themselves in Mrs Darent Harrison’s house. June: Women’s Suffrage Club opens 7 Havelock Road, Hastings. 1913 Cat and Mouse Act: hunger striking suffragettes released from prison then re-arrested when healthier. April: Suffragettes set fire to Levetleigh, home of Hastings MP Du Cros. June: Emily Davison dies after running onto the Derby horse race course. 1914 World War begins. Most suffrage campaigning halts. 1918 Representation of the People Act: propertied women over 30 gain the vote. Women can also stand for parliament. 1928 All women and men over 21 gain equal voting rights.