The British Women’s Suffrage Movement in 100 Objects

Each of the ‘objects’ in this wonderful book - which range from a dried lily, originally carried at Emily Davison’s funeral, to board games, costumes, postcards, documents and novelties - is accompanied by fascinating and often revelatory text. With great skill, Elizabeth Crawford leads the reader chronologically through a complete history of the woman’s suffrage movement in the UK, and it’s impossible not to keep turning the pages to see what marvel is waiting on the next. Essential reading for anyone interested in the subject! * Lissa Evans, Author of Old Baggage and Small Bomb at Dimperley *
Elizabeth Crawford brings her wealth of expertise on the Women’s Suffrage Movement to bear on a collection of 100 artfully chosen and closely ‘read’ objects, which speak to this era-defining political struggle. In doing so, she reveals new networks of connection, ‘suffrage byways’ that have escaped historians’ notice. Crawford’s Prownian commitment to object description serves this book well, making each entry attentive, reflective and enquiring. In this way, the reader meets artefacts that are personal, textual, misogynistic, propagandist, ephemeral, crafted, visual, emotional and more. Whether they were worn on the body, displayed in public or instrumentalised to political end, each offers pause for thought. * Dr Leonie Hannan, Reader in History at Queen’s University, Belfast *
Drawing on a lifetime of groundbreaking scholarship on the British Suffrage movement and its materiality, Crawford’s new book is an essential read for anyone interested in the history of women’s campaigns for the vote. The British Women’s Suffrage Movement in 100 Objects brings to life in unprecedented detail the material world in which campaigners strove for social and political change, conveying this to new audiences with a lightness of erudition and a treasure trove of vivid detail. The extraordinary creativity and complexity of women’s activism during this era is made tangible through Crawford’s expert guidance. * Dr Zoë Thomas, Associate Professor of Modern History, University of Birmingham *
Elizabeth Crawford does a first-class job of telling the women’s suffrage story through 100 carefully- selected objects. Each one is meticulously researched and brings the reader closer to people involved in this drawn-out campaign. This book offers something for everyone – those new to the suffrage movement as well as those already familiar with it. * Gillian Murphy, Curator for Equality, Rights and Citizenship, LSE Library *
A most fascinating and wonderful book. The hundred objects have been carefully chosen to illuminate the history of the suffrage campaign. Only Elizabeth Crawford, with her lifetime of knowledge and passion for the material evidence of the movement, could have done justice to such a task. A million thanks! * Helen Pankhurst, CBE *
This fascinating insight into the material legacy of the women’s suffrage movement offers a fresh and inspired interpretation of the women’s suffrage movement. * Beverley Cook, Social History Curator, Museum of London *
'The British Women’s Suffrage Movement in 100 Objects' is an incredibly well-informed and thoughtful smorgasboard of items which commemorate and celebrate the story of women and the vote. Nobody could be better-equipped to select and describe these objects than Elizabeth Crawford, whose lifetime of knowledge and expertise in suffrage history and memorabilia is apparent on every page. Her choices ensure the full story of suffrage is told from earliest origins to present day. Archive documents, plays, songs, outfits, novelty items and even modes of transport get their place in the sun alongside the more famous brooches, badges, medals and banners. Some are in private collections and hardly seen before - it feels a privilege to be introduced to the 'Suffragettes v the Law' chess set. Everyone will have their favourites - mine being the beautiful Dorothy bag, the recording by Christabel Pankhurst, and the 'Votes for Women' steam train. * Dr Mari Takayanagi, Historian, Archivist, Author and Heritage Professional *
Beautifully illustrated and exceptionally curated, Crawford’s The British Womens Suffrage Movement in 100 Objects is an essential and defining resource for the ways technological advances, community building, and popular culture played in the British campaign for “Votes for Women.” In clearly written and focused essays on everything from the intersection of the automobile and women’s rights to the ubiquity of comic suffragette ceramics, Crawford’s book will be of interest to scholars and general public alike. * Heidi Herr Librarian for English, Philosophy, The Writing Seminars, & Student Engagement for Special Collections The Johns Hopkins University *