Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage

The Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage was a leading group for women's rights in Scotland. It was one of the first three suffrage societies to be formed in Britain.[1]

History

The Edinburgh Ladies' Emancipation Society was at one time the focus for women's rights in Edinburgh.[2] This came to an end when Eliza Wigham, Jane Wigham and some of their friends set up the Edinburgh chapter of the National Society for Women's Suffrage on 6 November 1867.[3] Eliza and her friend Agnes McLaren became the secretaries,[4] Priscilla Bright McLaren was the president and Elizabeth Pease was the treasurer.

In 1868, Mary Burton, a member of the Society, went to court, unsuccessfully, for the right to register to vote. [5]

By 1877, Eliza Wigham was still the secretary but she was sharing the role with Emily Rosaline Orme.[6]

Jessie C. Methven became honorary secretary in the mid 1890s.[7] She was succeeded in 1906 by Elsie Inglis.[8] Inglis also played a role in the early years of the Scottish Federation of Women's Suffrage Societies, acting as honorary secretary from 1906 to 1914.[9]

Sarah Mair, who was a leading activist for various causes including the Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association, became president of the society in 1907.[10]

References
  1. Leneman, Leah (1991). "The women's suffrage movement in the north of Scotland". Northern Scotland. 11 (First Serie (1): 29–43. doi:10.3366/nor.1991.0004. ISSN 0306-5278.
  2. Edinburgh Ladies Emancipation Society (15 February 1866). "Annual Report of the Ladies' Emancipation Society". Wilson Anti-Slavery Collection: 2. JSTOR 60238978.
  3. Elizabeth Crawford, The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Britain and Ireland, A Regional Survey, Routledge, 2006, p226
  4. National Society of Women's Suffrage. Examiner; Jan 14 1871; 3285; British Periodicals pg 55
  5. "Mary Burton 1819-1909". WEA Calendar 2018. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  6. Crawford, Elizabeth (2003-09-02). The Women's Suffrage Movement: A Reference Guide 1866-1928. Routledge. ISBN 9781135434014.
  7. Elizabeth Crawford, The Women’s Suffrage Movement in Britain and Ireland, A Regional Survey, Routledge, 2006, p234
  8. Leah Leneman, ‘Inglis, Elsie Maud (1864–1917)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 6 June 2015
  9. Lovejoy, Esther Pohl (1957). Women Doctors of the World. New York: Macmillan. p. 288.
  10. Innes, S (2004). "the Edinburgh Women Citizens' Association". Women's History Review. 13 (4): 621–647. doi:10.1080/09612020400200414.
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