Parliamentary by-election - Dewsbury 1908

Women's Franchise, 30th April 1908

Work in Dewsbury.

    I CAME to Dewsbury on April 15th, and at once saw Mr. Boyd Carpenter, the Conservative candidate.  He said he thought Englishwomen should enjoy a position like that of women in the colonies, where he had lived, and offered to answer our questions to candidates that night at his first public meeting.  I went there to hear him do so, which he did satisfactorily in the main.  The audience applauded each affirmative reply.  The Labour candidate, Mr. Turner, stated expressly in his election address, "I am in favour of votes for women."  He also invited me to attend his first public meeting to hear our questions answered.  I did so, and he answered them satisfactorily, giving them priority over all other questions. 

    I called on Mr. Runciman later, as he was not in town when I came.  He answered the questions with some reservations.  As a Cabinet Minister it would not be correct for him to sign a requisition to his party leader, nor would it be correct to ballot for a place for a Women's Suffrage Bill ; but he was in favour of the principle, and approved of giving the Parliamentary vote to women on the municipal register.  He said he would do what he could for the cause in the Cabinet.  As to mentioning Women's Suffrage in his speeches, he said he would do so if asked. 

    We got a suitable committee-room, capable of seating about fifty, and here we held afternoon meetings.  On Saturday Miss I.O. Ford and Mrs. Kelly came from Leeds, and we had a most encouraging outdoor meeting in the market square.  It was market day, and we had a crowd round our lorry, numbering at one time about 400.  The attention was most marked, but there were comparatively few questions put on Monday night.  Mrs. Cooper (of Nelson) and I held a similar meeting in the same place (locally known as the Quack's Corner).  We had a very large number of women, as it was a holiday.  On Tuesday Miss Ward gave her valuable assistance, and Miss I.O. Ford, Mrs. Maudefield, and Mrs. Litherington of Leeds, also Miss Kilburn, of Huddersfield Women's Suffrage Society, came and worked hard all day.  We had a committee-room meeting at 3 P.M. with a deeply interested audience.  Later we went to Batley, and gave addresses in the market-place to an immense crowd, who listened with all their ears.  Then we came back to Dewsbury, where we had another meeting in the market-place, the audience keeping breathless silence.  The interest went on increasing on Wednesday : so much so, that meetings ran into each other, and their limits could not be defined.  We had dinner-hour meetings in the outskirts ; then Miss Ford began a committee-room meeting shortly before 3 P.M. with an overflowing audience.  This meeting went on till 6:30 P.M., one set of hearers replacing another, and Miss Emily Ford and I taking up our parable in turn.  Meantime, Miss I.O. Ford, Miss Ward, and some of our other helpers took a carriage, drove to Batley, spoke in the market square, and again at a point on the way back.  On their return another gathering was addressed by us in Dewsbury market-place. On this day, in addition to Miss Kilburn and the members of the Leeds Women's Suffrage Society, who aided most valiantly, Dr. Charlotte Browne of Leeds gave us her valued help for the day.  Thursday (polling day) we had a regular field day, as we had a wagonette forenoon and afternoon, and drove round to nearly all the twenty polling stations in the division, displaying a banner with the strange device, "Electors! Remember women to-day."  We also carried the poster "Coming in with the Tide."  Our passing-by was hailed with waving of hats and hands, accompanied by cheers.  Miss I.O. Ford, Miss E. Ford, and three ladies from Leeds were here, so that those who did not go in the carriage went through Dewsbury thoroughfares displaying our placards, giving leaflets, and conversing with inquirers.  Our public work closed with a committee-room meeting, for some who yet asked for more. 

    OVERHEARD IN A CAFE.--"I don't see why women cannot be given the vote without all this fuss and bother!"  Echo answers, "Why?"                                                 [Exeunt to the smoking-room.

    I think this fairly represents Dewsbury opinion. 

ISABELLA ROWLETT

    The enthusiastic reception we met with everywhere in Dewsbury was most delightful.  Our meetings were splendid, and on the polling-day, when we had not intended to hold any more meetings, we were obliged to, for the people begged to hear more.  We found it most difficult to get the audience to leave our committee-room.  Miss Rowlett had found a most excellent empty shop and had filled it with chairs, and there we had to sit for hours in the afternoons, holding forth to eager, sympathetic audiences.  On the polling-day four of us walked round the town with sandwich boards constructed by Miss Emily Ford, with that excellent poster "Coming in with the Tide" in front, and behind, "Electors! Remember women to-day." We met with the greatest kindness and enthusiasm.  The men shouted, "You do right! That's the way to get!"  One woman said, "Ay, it's a nice picture, and it's a good woman who's carrying it!"  We had a good body of helpers, but could have done with many more.  Two ladies came from Huddersfield, and six came from Leeds to help.  On one day  only we had five outdoor meetings and three indoor ones.  The outdoor meetings were as sympathetic as the indoor ones, and we made a great many converts.  Carrying the sandwich-boards in the snowstorms made those who spoke to us realize how earnestly we are working.  "You couldn't do that," said one woman, "if you didn't care."

I. O. FORD