Petitions were another way for the women and men of Birmingham to attempt to influence Parliament in favour of women’s suffrage.
Birmingham was very active in the women’s suffrage movement. It had local branches of major groups such as the National Society for Women’s Suffrage and the Women’s Social and Political Union.
The Birmingham branch of the militant Women’s Social and Political Union were active in the area throughout the period of their existence.
Hunger striking was an important propaganda tool for imprisoned suffragettes. Winson Green prison, Birmingham, was one of the first prisons in the country to practise force feeding.
The 1918 Representation of the People Act and the Equal Franchise Act of 1928 brought equal voting rights to the women of Birmingham.
Visit YouTube to watch our film exploring the suffragette movement in Birmingham.
Find connections, past and present, between Parliament and your town
Parliamentary Archives
Parliamentary Outreach
Birmingham Archives and Heritage
Four Dwellings High School
Access a trail leaflet featuring the Birmingham sites our groups discovered had links with the history of the right to vote.