Free learning resources from arts, cultural and heritage organisations.

Previous section
Male Suffragists

Suffrage Organisations in Leeds

The best known suffrage organisations in the city were the Leeds Suffrage Society, which was part of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, and of course the Leeds branch of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU). However, there were many different organisations campaigning for suffrage. Some were national with members who lived in Leeds, and others had local branches. A few were very specific, aimed at people who worked in certain fields or who were involved in particular religious organisations or political parties, such as the Actresses Franchise League, while others were much broader – such as the Women’s Franchise League.

Examples of other organisations active locally included the Artists Franchise League (Emily Ford was a member), the Leeds branch and Brighouse branch of the Workers Suffrage Federation, which was originally started as the East London Federation of Suffragettes by Sylvia Pankhurst, and nearby Bradford even had the Bradford Men’s League for Women’s Suffrage.