Huddersfield Daily Examiner (26/Feb/1908) - Meeting of Suffragettes at Huddersfield
MEETING OF SUFFRAGETTES AT HUDDERSFIELD.
On Tuesday night, a meeting which was promoted by the Women's Social and Political Union, was held at the Market Cross, when the two principal speakers were Miss Mary Gawthorpe[1] and Mrs. Wilson[2], Halifax. In moving a resolution: "That this meeting protests against the action of the Government in refusing to enfranchise the duly qualified woman of the country, so forcing them into conflict with the law, with consequent suffering and imprisonment," Miss Gawthorpe stated that this was one of a series of meetings being held in favour of the Women's Suffrage Bill, and that if the bill set down for Friday were talked out they would regard it as a pre-arrangement affair. She knew that Mr. Sherwell[3], the member for Huddersfield, was unwell, but if unable to be in the House he might be asked to "pair" with some other member on the question, she herself did not become a suffragist because she liked to go to Liberal meetings, and when they got the vote she would not go to another. She contended that their actions as suffragists had been justified by results. She complained that Mrs. Pankhurst had been dragged from her carriage, and arrested "on suspicion," and was now in gaol "on suspicion"; and said that the only Liberal member of Parliament who had been to see her in prison was Mr. Murray, M.P. for South Aberdeen, who had rendered them substantial financial aid in order to fight his own Government, and he had done it because he knew that the Government was cutting its own throat. The Government, she said, required a "mandate" from the people for women's suffrage before it would grant it; but the Government was democratic, and as such ought to proceed with a measure to enfranchise women, just as it proceeded to legislate on other questions on which it had received no direct mandate from the people.
After Mrs. Wilson, Halifax, had given a short address, Miss Gawthorpe continued her address, and after contending that many working men questions were also working women's questions; she dealt with the attitude of Mr. John Burns[4] on the question of women workers.
At the conclusion questions were asked and answered, and the resolution was passed.
There was a little noise accompanying the meeting, but it apparently only proceeded from some children who were playing around.