Votes For Women

Did you know that on the night of

2nd April 1911 tens of thousands

of women decided to boycott the

census? Their argument was

simple: if they were not counted

as citizens with a right to vote,

they would not count on the census…

No Vote - No Census!

“I have joined the brave women of England in their distinguished protest against the systematic blocking by the government of the women’s conciliation.” - Katherine S Dreier

The Women’s Freedom League (WFL), one of the prominent suffrage organisations, played a key role in instigating the protest. They were inspired by Ghandi’s principle of passive resistance, encouraging women from all over the UK to return their forms ‘spoilt’. Some of their supporters refused to complete their forms risking a fine, others filled them in, not with their details but with slogans such as ‘I don't count so I won't be counted’ like Katherine Dreier’s census return above.

Deeds Not Words!

Did you know that Emily Wilding Davison, the suffragette who died in 1913 after “throwing” herself in front of the King’s horse, hid in a broom cupboard in the House of Commons on the night of the 1911 census?

Many suffragettes spent the night of 2nd April 1911 evading the census enumerators by travelling to different addresses or attending one of the ‘census parties’ organised by the WSPU in London, but Emily decided to hide in the House of Commons to be enumerated in Westminster.

Her plan worked. Emily’s address was listed as “found hiding in the crypt of Westminster Hall” and she was enumerated as being the ‘sole occupant of the crypt in the Houses of Parliament’ by the House of Commons clerk, Percy Ridge.

The event is considered to be such a landmark event in British politics that a plaque was secretly installed in Parliament in honour of her rebellious act by Tony Benn, with the aid of Helena Kennedy QC and former labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

No persons here, only women!

Another 1911 census boycott form returned by a Suffragette above.

In this example, we see that the form has been returned blank and in place of household details, a large ‘Votes for Women’ flyer has been stuck. To add extra insult, stamps advertising a ‘census meeting’ the previous evening have been stuck along the bottom… you can also see the enumerator’s attempt to complete the form written in green ink!!

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“Remember the dignity of your womanhood. Do not appeal, do not beg, do not grovel. Take courage, join hands, stand beside us, fight with us” - Christabel Pankhurst