Minute Book of the Huddersfield Branch of the Women's Social and Political Union (1907-1909)
UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
This page is currently under construction and isn't complete yet!The following transcription is based on the page scans that were made available on the "History to Herstory" web site.[1]
Notes:
- Edith Key's minute book has unnumbered pages, so the numbering used below reflects the sequential page scan numbering
- an attempt has been made to retain the formatting of the writing
- square brackets are used to indicate potential transcription errors or indecipherable words
Page 1
- Election of Chairwoman
- Minutes of last Meeting
- Arrangements for Social on Jan 20th
- a time to commence 7.30
- b Refreshments ✓
- c How much to charge ✓
- Music
- Whist-Drive
- ✓ Leather Hand bag lost in Town Hall.
- Election of Secretary, Treasurer,
- & Literature Secretary for the present
- year.
- 8/-
Page 2
- Minutes of meeting held May 14th 1907
- 1. Minutes of the last meeting passed
- 2. Secretary’s report re affiliation with Friendly &
- Trades Club accepted, & the matter be reserved
- for future discussion.
- 3. Passed unanimously that Whit Sunday be a holiday
- 4. Report re visit to Mrs Hellawell be accepted, & agreed
- that the subject be dro[…?]
- 5. Mrs Scott moved & Mrs Thewlis seconded that Mrs Key read
- a phamphlet next meeting
Page 3
- Meeting held May 18th 1907
- Mrs Shakeshaft presiding
- Minutes of last meeting passed.
- Miss Williams moved that we have an outdoor
- meeting & that Mrs Wilson of Halifax be
- asked to be speaker. Mrs Lodge seconded
- the motion, failing Mrs Wilson, Mrs Mitchel.
- Miss Hopson moved, & Mrs Lee seconded,
- That Mrs Thewlis be chairwoman of the next
- meeting.
- Mrs Thewlis moved, & Mrs Haigh seconded, that
- meeting be held on Saturday June 8th, 1907,
- @ 8 p.m., at Market Cross, Huddersfield
- Mrs Thewlis moved & Miss Beever seconded, that Hymn
- sheets be at meeting.
- Mrs Thewlis moved, & Miss Beever seconded, that next
- business meeting be held in Friendly & Trades Hall.
Page 4
- Meeting held June 4th/07
- Mrs Lodge presiding
- Minutes of last meeting passed.
- Miss Hopson moved & Mrs Thewlis seconded
- that meeting in Market Place be postponed
- for some future date. June 15th.
- Miss Hopson moved, & Miss Williams that Mrs
- Shakeshaft be delegate.
- Mrs Shakeshaft moved & Mrs Mosley seconded
- That Mrs Thewlis be delegate. as a amendment
- 9 for Mrs Thewlis. 1[?] for Mrs Shakeshaft.
- Mrs Lee proposed that next meeting be
- Held in Mrs Shakeshaft's home. Mrs Thewlis
- seconded. Carried.
- That meeting be advertised in 'Workers' this
- week.
Page 5
- Meeting held June 11th 1907 at Mrs Shakeshaft
- Mrs Haigh presiding
- Minutes of last meeting passed.
- Mrs Pogson moved, & Mrs Thewlis seconded that
- failing Mrs Wilson, Miss Julia Varley be asked
- to speak at meeting at Market Cross on June 15th:
- Mrs Thewlis to be chairwoman.
- Collections. Mrs Key, Mrs Sykes, Miss Brooke & Miss Hopson.
- Miss Williams moved & Miss Beever seconded that we
- have one inch advert front page Boro Advertiser
- Mrs Thewlis moved & Mrs Scott seconded that advert
- in Worker be extended to inch.
- Mrs Thewlis moved & Mrs Lee seconded that Mrs Mantel
- be asked to speak at an outdoor meeting on
- June 29th.
- That Miss Lowenthal or Mrs Jagger be asked to
- entertain Mrs Mantel
- That next business meeting be held at Mrs Scott’s
- 48 Grove St.
Page 6
- Meeting held June 18th / 07 at Mrs Scotts'. 48
- Miss Hopson presiding
- 1, Meeting of last meeting passed.
- 2. Mrs Thewlis moved & Miss Beever seconded that
- Secretary write Mrs Mantel asking her to give us
- a definite date for open air meeting on the
- Saturday evening, on June 29th if possible.
- 3. Mrs Thewlis moved & Mrs Lee seconded
- that Mrs Jagger be asked to be chairwoman
- at Mrs Mantel’s Meeting.
- 4. Mrs Shakeshaft moved & Mrs Sykes seconded
- That St George’s Square & that Speaker stand on
- lurry.
- 5. Proposed & carried unanimously that next
- meeting be held at Mrs Key’s, Regent Place
- Bradford Rd.
- 6. Carried unanimously that Secretary attend
- the conference of sectaries when it is
- held. She to represent Huddersfield Branch.
- 7. Result of open air meeting at Market Cross on
- June 15th/07. / eight shillings & fivepence. (8s/5p)
Page 7
- Meeting held June 25th/07
- at Mrs Key’s Regent Place, Bradford Rd.
- Miss Williams presiding
- Minutes of last meeting passed.
- 1. Moved by Mrs Pogson and seconded by
- Miss Hopson that question of Friendly
- and Trades Hall be left over till the
- end of July
- 2. Mrs J Haigh moved, & Mrs Haigh seconded that
- Miss Lowinthall be asked to entertain
- Miss Mantel failing Miss Lowinthall,
- Mrs France Littlewoood.
- 3. Moved that advert be in the Worker 2 weeks
- and the Advertiser 1 week. Miss Hopson
- moved and Mrs Lodge seconded.
- 4. Mrs Lee moved and Mrs Shakeshaft
- seconded that the following be asked to
- take the chair for July 6th Miss Lowenthal
- Miss Brooke Mrs Moorhouse Mrs Marshall.
Page 8
- Continued
- Carried unanimously that 1½ doz of the
- Womens Franchise be ordered weekly.
- That next meeting be held at Mrs Thewlis's, 29 Hawthorn
- Terrace, Calton St., on July 2nd, & meeting on July 9th at
- Mrs Pogson's 50, Lowergate,
LongwoodPaddock
Page 9
- Meeting held in Friendly & Trades Hall
- on July 3rd[?] Miss Adela Pankhurst presiding
- Carried unanimously that all Branch business
- (with the exception of meeting on July 6th)
- be postponed until the by-election in
- Colne Valley is over.
- Minutes of last meeting passed.
- Mrs Wadsworth Brook proposed & Mrs Haigh seconded
- that all Branch business be postponed until
- after the By-election.
- Mrs Pogson moved & Mrs Lodge seconded
- that a collection for rent of Friendly &
- Trades Room be taken. Collection realized
- three shillings &
threepence.
- Mrs Lodge proposed & Mrs Haigh seconded
- that Sec. have 2s/6d allowed for
- stamps etc.
Page 10
- Meeting held in Friendly & Trades Hall
- Room 5 on July 23nd/07.
- Mrs Scott presiding
- Minutes of last meeting passed
- Miss Williams moved & Mrs Thewlis seconded
- that Resolution proposed by the Committee
- for Annual Conference to be held on Tuesday
- July 30th.
- Mrs Hellawell moved & Mrs Roberts seconded
- that Sec. write asking Miss C. Pankhurst
- to visit Huddersfield Branch after her visit
- to Bradford.
- Mrs Roberts moved & Mrs W. Brook that next
- business meeting be held at Mrs Pogsons
- 50, Lowergate.
- Mrs Roberts moved & Miss Hopson seconded that
- Sec. enquire for terms for Clarion Club rooms
- & old Worker rooms.
Page 11
- Meeting held at Mrs Pogson's Lowergate
- on July 30th/07.
- Miss Hopson presiding
- 1. Minutes of last meeting passed
- 2. That Sec. & other members of the Branch
- visit the Clarion Club & inspect the
- committee room, enquiring as to means
- of warmth, lighting, seats, etc, & report
- at next meeting.
- 3. Mrs W. Brook moved & Mrs Scott that we be
- represented at Annual Conference on
- Oct 12th. Carried unanimously.
- 4. That next meeting be held at Mrs Scott's
- 48 Grove St. Huddersfield
- 5. That we have a picnic on Wednesday, August 7th.
- 6. That Secretary write Mrs Black asking if
- she will be at home on August 7th, also if
- she be willing to entertain Branch at a
- picnic on that date.
Page 12
- That this meeting decided that Secretary
- write Mrs Thewlis explaining the feelings of
- the Branch towards Mrs Thewlis, & asking her to work agreeably
- or resign from the Branch. Carried unanimously
Page 13
- Meeting held at Mrs Scott's, 48 Grove St.
- Aug 6th/07
- Mrs Pogson presiding
- Aug 6th/07
- Resolved that Clarion Club Room be engaged
- at the rate of one shilling per week to
- include light, firing[?], seats, etc.
- That we have a collection at Mrs Black's
- picnic.
- That next meeting be held in Clarion Club
- on Tuesday August
- Discussion re letter which had been sent to
- Mrs Thewlis
- ————
- Minutes of meeting held at Picnic at Mrs Black's
- 1. Resolved that a vote of sympathy & regard be forwarded
- to Miss Gawthrop
- 2. That a vote of confidence in Mrs Pankhurst
- & helpers be forwarded to her. Collection 2/8
- 3. A vote of thanks to Mrs Black for her kindess
- & that next picnic be held at Mrs Brook's on Aug 21st
Page 14
- Meeting held in Clarion Club Rooms
- Aug 13th 1907
- Miss Hopson presiding
- Aug 13th 1907
- 1. Minutes of last meeting
- Correspondence passed.
- 2. [...?]tors for lapsed members.
- Mrs Scott & Mrs Key, for Wednesday afternoon
- Mrs Shakeshaft & Mrs Lodge, Thursday evening
- & report at next meeting.
- 3. Mrs Scott moved & Mrs Mellor seconded that
- sale of 'Women's Franchise' be extended.
- That Miss Williams see Lockwood Club
- & Secretary, Free Library
- 4. Resoled that Mrs Mellor read a paper
- next week.
- 5. Mrs J[?] Haigh proposed & Mrs Lodge seconded that
- Sec. write Miss Brooke if members can
- have a picnic on Aug 21st at her home, or
- failing Miss Brook's, at Blake Lea.
- 6. That one Pound (£1) subscription be
- sent from Huddersfield Branch to £10,000
- Fund, & be sent on Oct 12th on the date of the Conference.
Page 15
- 7. Mrs Shakeshaft moved & Miss Williams
- seconded that we have a social
- evening to defray workers election
- expenses who were not paid by
- Mrs Pankhurst, to be held in
- the near future. Sec enquire
- terms for large room, & that
- Mrs Scott's daughter be asked to be
- musician
Page 16
- Meeting held in Clarion Club,
- Aug 20th/07. Miss Hopson presiding
- Minutes of last meeting passed
- Correspondence passed.
- Report of lapsed members from Mrs
- Shakeshaft, Mrs Lodge, Mrs Scott & Secretary
- & several new members present.
- Resolved that Mrs Key, Mrs Mellor, & Mrs Scott
- ask for permission for convenience for
- women to be had free at Market Cross
- & at different places in the Borough, &
- Sec. report at next meeting.
- Thanks accorded
forto Mrs Mellor for - her paper which she read.
- First Social to be held in September.
- Resolved that Miss Williams read a paper
- next week.
Page 17
- Meeting held in Clarion Club Rooms
- Aug 27th/07.
- Mrs Brook presiding
- Aug 27th/07.
- Minutes of last meeting passed.
- Moved by Mrs Lee & seconded by Mrs Haigh that
- Secretary write to Co-operative Women's Guild,
- Women of the Independent Labour Party, & any
- other body of women, concerning the convenience
- for women at the Market Cross, & in other
- parts of the borough.
- Resolved that picnic beheld at Miss Brook's
- Wooldale, on Wednesday the 28th, & that
- members go by 2.30 train from Huddersfield.
- Also that members who are present notify
- absent members.
- Paper read by Miss Alice Williams, and warmly
- appreciated by the members.
- Moved & seconded that Secretary write asking why reports
- from Branches are not inserted in 'Women's Franchise'.
Page 18
- That Miss Hopson give a paper at
- meeting on Tuesday next.
Page 19
- Meeting held in Clarion Club Rooms
- Sept 3rd/07.
- Minutes of last meeting read & passed.
- Correspondence read & discussed.
- Resolved that a meeting be held on Thursday
- Sept 5th & that Miss Adela Pankhurst preside
- That Secretary notify absent members of
- Thursday's meeting.
- Miss Hopson's paper read & warmly appreciated.
- Animated discussion followed. Mr Dickinson's
- Bill No 2 read & discussed. Secretary read
- articles in 'Women's Franchise'.
Page 20
- blank page
Page 21
- Special Meeting held in Clarion
- Club Rooms. Sept 18th/07
- Miss Brooke presiding.
- Mrs Pankhurst explained her position
- & the following resolution was passed.—
- 'That the members present express their
- confidence in Mrs Pankhurst & the women
- working with her; & pledge themselves to
- strive to secure Votes for Women by the
- methods laid down in the Constitution.'
Page 22
- Meeting held in Clarion Club Rooms.
- Oct 1st/07.
- Miss Hopson Presiding.
- Minutes of last meeting passed
- also minutes of special meeting.
- Moved & seconded that Mrs Thewlis's
- contribution's since Colne Valley by-election
- be returned to her.
- That Miss Christabel Pankhurst be asked be
- speak at a Mass Meeting in November, &
- secretary write asking for open dates for
- that month, also Mrs Pethick Lawrence.[4]
- That Social & Whist Drive be held in
- Clarion Club Rooms.
- Also that it be held last Wednesday in
- October.
Page 23
- Meeting held in Clarion Club Rooms
- Oct 8th/07.
- Mrs Mellor Presiding.
- Minutes of last meeting passed
- Correspondence read.
- That 1 inch advert be in Boro Advertiser & 2 weeks
- in Worker. That price be 6d.
- [...?]lls at 7.30. That terms for pianist
- be got for next, also terms for violinist.
- Resolved that sec. write Miss Pankhurst
- asking for other dates, as available halls
- are engaged.
- That deputation be send to Bradford on
- 1st Saturday in November, & sec. write
- Miss A Pankhurst concerning it.
Page 24
- Meeting held in Clarion Club Rooms
- Oct 15th/07
- Mrs Lee presiding.
- Minutes of last meeting passed.
- Correspondence read.
- Miss Hopson moved & Mrs Shakeshaft seconded
- that the Sec. write Miss Pankhurst asking if the
- Union will be responsible for expenses if Mass
- Meeting is a financial failure; Also that
- Town Hall be booked if in that case.
- That sec. order tickets for Social. 100 or 150.
- That tickets be got at Boro Advertiser Office & be
- ready for Friday night.
- That Sec. see about Pianist
- That Mrs Shakeshaft enquire price of Hire of Crockery.
- See Mrs Kaye & Mrs Hewing
Page 25
- Meeting held in Clarion Club Rooms.
- Oct 22nd/07.
- Mrs Haigh Presiding.
- Oct 22nd/07.
- 1. Minutes of last meeting passed.
- 2. Correspondence read.
- 3. That Sec. write Miss Pankhurst, asking for
- first open dates for Mass Meeting, either on
- Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
- & that
- 4. Social. Sec. write Miss Brooke asking her to
- 1. Take arrangements for Whist drive,
- failing her Miss Brooke.
- 2. 10 tables for Whist.
- 3. Loan of Cards. Mesdames Pogson, Shakeshaft,
- 4. That Sec. get Progressive[?] Whist Cards.
- 5. Trays. 2 Mrs Hellawell. 1 Miss Williams.
- 2 Mrs Shakeshaft. 2 Lee. 1 Mrs Key.
- 6. That Mrs Shakeshaft hire cups @ 3°/-
- 1. Take arrangements for Whist drive,
Page 26
- 7. That meeting be held next Tuesday.
- 8. That Norman Buckley[5] be asked at not more
- than 3/6
- 9. Prizes. Mrs Pogson. Humbug.
- Mrs Lee. Humbug.
- Sec. get Mrs Pankhurst's picture framed.
- Book
Page 27
- Meeting held in Clarion Club Rooms.
- Nov 4th/07. Mrs Lee presiding.
- Minutes of last meeting passed.
- Correspondence read & discussed.
- Resolved that Mr France Littlewood's[6]
- daughters be asked to play Piano & Violin
- Duets at Town Hall on Dec 4th.
- Resolved that Mrs. P. Lawrence be written
- to, asking her to re-consider her decision re
- Town Hall meeting, & explain that we
- have been disappointed before, and that
- paragraphs have been inserted in local papers.
- Failing her, Miss Mary Gawthorp.[7]
- Write Adela Pankhurst refusing Mrs Chatterton[8] as
- speaker.
- That thanks to Miss Lowenthal for cakes.
Page 28
- Meeting held in Clarion Club Rooms.
- Miss Hopson presiding. Nov 12th 1907.
- Minutes of last meeting passed.
- Correspondence read.
- Resolved that Mrs Wilson, Mrs Jagger, & Mrs E. A. Beaumont, be asked to
askact - as Chairwoman.
- Resolved that Men be asked to act as
- Doorkeepers & Stewards.
- Moved that Mr John Sugden[9] be asked to
- move vote of thanks, & Mr E. A. Beaumont
- second it. Failing one of them, B. Riley.
- Resolved that we have policemen as required
- Ticket selling. Mrs Cookson & Mrs Gledhill. Fartown & Birkby.
- Miss Hopson & Miss J[?] Williams. Lockwood Liberal & Conservative Clubs, Berry Brow & Honley.
- Miss Higgins & Miss A Williams. Moldgreen & Dalton.
- Mrs Hellawell & Mrs Shakeshaft. Golcar.
- Mrs Key & Mrs Pogson. Milnsbridge & Longwood & Netherton.
- Mrs Brook. Paddock.
Page 29
- Enquiries for advertisements. Posters, Sandwich
- Men, etc. Large Bills for Windows.
- Write Miss Brooke & Mrs Moorhouse.
- See Miss Kilburn[?] of Meltham.
Page 30
- Meeting held in Clarion Club Rooms.
- Nov 19th 1907
- Mrs Hellawell presiding.
- Nov 19th 1907
- Minutes of last meeting passed.
- Resolved that Mrs Wilson be written to
- accepting her offer as chairwoman for
- Mass Meeting.
- Resolved that one of the speakers be asked to
- speak at a meeting at Clarion Club on Sunday
- evening at 8 p.m.
- Write Mrs Hellawell, Mrs Brook & Mrs Shakeshaft.
- Miss France Littlewood's name to be on the Bills.
- Mrs Shakeshaft & Miss Hopson.
- Mrs Key & Miss A Williams.
Page 31
- Resolved that hand-bills be printed &
- window bills for Friday night.
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Notes and References
- ↑ The site is no longer available online but can be viewed on the Internet Archive site.
- ↑ Wikipedia:Edith How-Martyn.
- ↑ Wikipedia: Charlotte Despard.
- ↑ Wikipedia: Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence.
- ↑ Norman Buckley (born circa 1890) was a music teacher. He was residing with his parents at 161 Longwood Gate, Longwood, at the time of the 1911 Census.
- ↑ France Littlewood was a Honley mill owner who had been a committee member of the Colne Valley Labour Party in the 1890s.
- ↑ Wikipedia: Mary Gawthorpe.
- ↑ Women's Suffrage Resources: Mrs Ada Chatterton.
- ↑ Author of Slaithwaite Notes: Past and Present (1905).
- ↑ Wikipedia: Annie Kenny.