Souvenir Suffragette Handkerchief.
BURGESS
London: Printed by Burgess. n.d. [1909].
Description:
Souvenir Japanese crêpe paper handkerchief with an outer border of purple flowers and green foliage. Inside this are twenty small vignettes of leading suffragettes and these frame the text which advertises that "A deputation of women will go to the House of Commons on Tuesday, June 29, at 8 o'clock to see the Prime Minister and lay before him their demand for the Vote". The handkerchief measures 370x385mm and, although a little foxed, is in very good condition. Printed by Sarah Burgess who produced a number of handkerchiefs to mark and, as in this case, advertise, demonstrations and protests by the suffragettes. Not all campaigners for women's suffrage were happy with Burgess profiting from the cause by making these handkerchiefs but the movement must have been close to her heart as generally (but not always - see item??), her souvenirs were for Royal and national events.
On 29th June 1909, a meeting of the Women's Social and Political Union took place at Caxton Hall. The women, led by Emmeline Pankhurst, left the Hall at 8pm and marched to the House of Commons to petition the Prime Minister Herbert Asquith (as the representative of the King) for "votes for women". Asquith refused to meet them at which point Emmeline Pankhurst, having given notice (as recorded on this handkerchief) that this would be an "illegal and unconstitutional action" gave the signal for battle to begin and a three hour fight ensued between the suffragettes and the police. More than one hundred women were arrested.
Description:
Souvenir Japanese crêpe paper handkerchief with an outer border of purple flowers and green foliage. Inside this are twenty small vignettes of leading suffragettes and these frame the text which advertises that "A deputation of women will go to the House of Commons on Tuesday, June 29, at 8 o'clock to see the Prime Minister and lay before him their demand for the Vote". The handkerchief measures 370x385mm and, although a little foxed, is in very good condition. Printed by Sarah Burgess who produced a number of handkerchiefs to mark and, as in this case, advertise, demonstrations and protests by the suffragettes. Not all campaigners for women's suffrage were happy with Burgess profiting from the cause by making these handkerchiefs but the movement must have been close to her heart as generally (but not always - see item??), her souvenirs were for Royal and national events.
On 29th June 1909, a meeting of the Women's Social and Political Union took place at Caxton Hall. The women, led by Emmeline Pankhurst, left the Hall at 8pm and marched to the House of Commons to petition the Prime Minister Herbert Asquith (as the representative of the King) for "votes for women". Asquith refused to meet them at which point Emmeline Pankhurst, having given notice (as recorded on this handkerchief) that this would be an "illegal and unconstitutional action" gave the signal for battle to begin and a three hour fight ensued between the suffragettes and the police. More than one hundred women were arrested.