Huddersfield's Early Suffragists
1872
Huddersfield Chronicle, 2nd March 1872
WOMEN'S DISABILITIES REMOVAL BILL
A letter was read from Miss Becker asking the Council to petition the House of Commons in favour of the Women's Disabilities Removal Bill.
Mr. H. HIRST, jun., moved, and Mr. JOSEPH BARROWCLOUGH seconded, "That a petition in support of the Bill be presented to the House of Commons."
Alderman CLOUGH opposed the motion, because if the Bill became law, seeing that women were already on School Boards, it would be inconsistent if they did not allow them to become members of the Town Council.
Councillor MARRIOTT, who supported the motion, thought people found it easier to say they objected to the Bill than to say why they objected. Why should not women be allowed to vote for a member of Parliament as well as for a councillor? The Bill did not aim at the enfranchisement of every female, but only those who were householders.
Alderman WOODHEAD also supported the resolution.
Councillor FAWCETT deprecated the idea of extending the franchise to our female population, and considered that their proper domain was home and the family circle.
The motion on being put was carried by a majority of 22 to 15. The announcement of the numbers was hailed with cheers by the advocates of women's suffrage.
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| Lydia Becker, 1873 |
1873
Huddersfield Chronicle, 8th February 1873
WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE
On Tuesday, February 11th, a MEETING will be held in he Gymnasium Hall, Huddersfield, in support of Mr. Jacob Bright's Bill for the Removal of the Electoral Disabilities of Women.
Miss LYDIA BECKER, of Manchester ;
Miss STURGE, of Birmingham ;
Miss LUCY WILSON, of Leeds ; and the Rev. B. GLOVER, will attend as a Deputation from the National Society. The following gentlemen will also take part in the proceedings : Alderman SYKES, J.P., E. HUTH, Esq., and Mr. MOORE SYKES.
Chair to be taken at Eight o'clock. Admission free.
Huddersfield Daily Chronicle, 20th February 1873
THE ELECTORAL DISABILITIES OF WOMEN
The TOWN CLERK read an application from the Women's Suffrage Association for the Council to petition Parliament in favour of the "Women's Disabilities Removal Bill."
Mr. Councillor HOUGHTON said he claimed to be an advocate of ladies' rights. He had not the slightest objection to gentlemen being lords of creation, but he wanted to see the ladies of creation as well. (Laughter.) That question was one of justice. If anyone could show that ladies had no right to pay rates then there would be some ground for objection to female suffrage, but if ladies were to pay rates for property just in the same way as men, he maintained that on the principles of justice and equality they ought to exercise the franchise by a similar qualification. He had great pleasure in moving-
"That a petition be presented to Parliament in support of the Women's Disabilities Removal Bill."
Mr. Councillor MARRIOTT, in seconding the resolution, said that was about the only question he had heard discussed where all the arguments on one side were mere sentiment. The only objection some people had to woman's suffrage was that ladies wore the blue stocking or should stop at home and attend to the cooking. (Laughter, and hear, hear.) He had never heard the slightest argument advanced why people who pay rates should not have the vote.
Councillor H. HIRST, jun., supported the motion.
Councillor HOUGHTON said he should be glad to see a great many women in Parliament.
A VOICE - There are a great many there already.
Mr. Councillor D. EASTWOOD protested against the Council Chamber being turned into a political arena, and it ought not to be a place where political matters were discussed.
The resolution for the presentation of the petition was carried by a large majority, there being only seven disentients.
1874
Huddersfield Daily Chronicle, 25th February 1874
WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE
A MEETING will be held in the Gymnasium Hall, Huddersfield, on Wednesday, February 25th, in support of the bill to remove the Electoral Disabilities of Women.
MISS LYDIA BECKER, and MISS STUART
Will attend as a Deputation from the National Society.
E. HUTH, ESQ., MR. ALD. DENHAM,
MR. ALD. WOODHEAD, MR. JOHN GLAISYER,
MR. MOORE SYKES,
and others will take part in the Meeting.
Chair to be taken at Eight o'clock.
A few reserved seats Sixpence each. Tickets to be had at the Examiner Office, and of Messrs. G. Brook, Westgate ; E. Clayton, Kirkgate ; and J Crossley and Co., Market-place, Huddersfield. Body of the Hall free. For a summary and full report of the meeting see:
Great Meeting at Huddersfield - 25th Feb 1874
Great Meeting at Huddersfield - 25th Feb 1874
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| Joseph Woodhead, J.P. by Charles Frederick Lowcock. From the Kirklees Collection. |
1876
Huddersfield Daily Chronicle, 16th March 1876
THE COUNCIL AND THE WOMEN'S SUFFRAGE QUESTION.
MR. LEWIS BAILEY read a letter from Miss Lydia Becker, of Manchester, in reference to which Alderman DENHAM moved--
That, in consideration of the communication from Miss Lydia Becker, secretary to the Manchester Society for Women's Suffrage, the Council do hereby present a petition to Parliament in favour of a measure which concerns so many of their constituents.
They were all aware of the action of the ladies in the matter. They had been to Huddersfield before the whole town, and he thought the arguments then adduced by them were unanswerable. The members of the Council were sequainted with the manner in which the ladies voted at municipal elections ; and as their present request was only to have that power extended to Parliamentary elections, he thought they (the Council) would agree to the resolution.
Alderman WOODHEAD seconded the resolution. He said that as there were gentlemen there who were indebted to the female portion for the seats they occupied, they would not be unwilling to extend the privilege of voting for members of Parliament, seeing they had displayed such excellent taste in voting for the representatives in the municipal chamber of the town. (Laughter.)
The motion was passed by a majority of 21 against 12.
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