The Suffrage Interviews

Background to the collection

This is a collection of oral history interviews about the British suffrage movement. The interviews were conducted by the historian Brian Harrison between 1974 and 1981, as part of a project funded by the Social Science Research Council (he later extensively used these interviews in his book 'Prudent Revolutionaries: Portraits of British Feminists between the Wars' Oxford University Press 1987). The recordings were deposited with the Women’s Library in 1981 and the collection consists of 205 interviews with 183 individuals.

The original aim of the project was to provide material to supplement documentary sources on the Edwardian women’s suffrage movement in Britain and to make these interviews available to scholars subsequently working in the field. Interviews were conducted with surviving suffrage campaigners, their relatives and employees. Many of the interviewees talk about their relationships with more famous suffrage leaders such as the Pankhursts, Flora Drummond and Millicent Fawcett.

As the project progressed the scope widened: it extended chronologically to include discussion of the women’s movement after full enfranchisement in 1928 and it extended thematically to encompass those who were active in various women’s organisations, including international and religious organisations, and to cover wider discussion of women’s lives. The interviews are particularly rich in subjects such as politics, trade unionism, international peace activism, women’s employment and family life, and the birth-control movement. Taken as a whole, the collection is a key source for British women’s history of the 20th century.

One of the most exhilarating sides I found of the women’s movement was that it changed us, from the don’ts to the dos. The average girl of my age was always being told you can’t do that, you oughtn’t to do that; it was a series of constrictions.

Margery Corbett-Ashby

The interviews

Harrison travelled the UK interviewing the women (whom he referred to as his ‘informants’) in their own homes. He also visited Ireland and conducted one interview in Australia. 

The interviews are very much conversations – as you will hear, Harrison interrupts, attempts to clarify, and prompts.  You will hear household noises in the background – ticking clocks, birds in the garden, even chinking of glasses! The informal settings of the interviews (and Harrison’s equipment) mean the sound quality is sometimes not great – the voices of the interviewees can be indistinct or obscured by background noise. The interviews often begin and end quite abruptly – sometimes when his subjects are in the middle of saying something – so don’t be thrown when you listen to the recordings if they appear to start or end mid-sentence – this is the way they were recorded not a fault of later editing.

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Click 'View record' to look at the individual archives catalogue record which includes further information about the recording.

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1. Stocks, Lady. View record. Listen

2. Stocks, Lady. View record. Listen

3. Corbett-Ashby, Dame Margery. View record. Listen

4. Corbett-Ashby, Dame Margery. View record. Listen

5. Mairet, Philip. View record. Listen

6. Corbett-Ashby, Dame Margery. View record. Listen

7. Roe, Miss Grace. View record. Listen

8. Blackman, Mrs. View record. Listen

9. Barnes, Mrs Annie. View record. Listen

10. Billington Greig, Miss Fiona. View record. Listen

11. Pierotti, Miss Muriel. View record. Listen

12. Butler, Miss Christina Violet. View record. Listen

13. Roe, Miss Grace. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

14. Butler, Miss Christina Violet. View record. Listen

15. Roberts, Miss Winifred Adair. View record. Listen

16. Bennett, Mrs Mary. View record. Listen

17. Butler, Miss Ruth. View record. Listen

18. Cohen, Mrs Leonora. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

19. Cohen, Mrs Leonora. View record. Listen

20. Taylor, Mr James. View record. Listen

21. Hale, Miss Cicely. View record. Listen

22. Frances, Mrs Juanita. View record. Listen

23. Lawson, Miss Marie. View record. Listen

24. Lawson, Miss Marie. View record. Listen

25. Butler, Christina Violet. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

26. Ricardo, Lady Beatrice. View record. Listen

27. Crum, Michael re Lettice Fisher. View record. Listen

28. Barnes, Annie. View record. Listen

29. Flint, Mrs Elsie. View record. Listen

30. Smith, Maude Kate. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

31. Robinson, Miss Margaret. View record. Listen

32. Hunkins-Hallinan, Mrs Hazel. View record. Listen

33. Sowerbutts, Miss FM. View record Listen

34. Evans, Mrs Lyndal. View record Listen

36. Lutyens, Mrs Naomi. View record. Listen

37. Chew, Miss Doris re Ada Nield Chew. View record. Listen

38. Morrison, Miss Sybil. View record. Listen

39. Price, Reginald Charles. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

40. Lutyens, Mrs Naomi. View record. Listen

41. Johnson, Mrs Marion. View record. Listen

42. Schofield-Coates, Mrs. View record. Listen

43. Douie, Miss Vera. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

44. Shaw, Miss Betty & Blake, Mrs Anne. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

49. Lutyens, Miss Elisabeth. View record. Listen

50. BBC programmes on Domestic Service. View record. Listen

51. Woodhouse, Lady Davina re Lord Lytton. View record. Listen

52. Munro-Ashman, Dr Donald. View record. Listen

53. Cole, Dame Margaret. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

54. Moyes, Helen. View record. Listen

55. Moyes, Helen. View record. Listen

56. Hall, Mr Edward & Mrs Pauline. View record. Listen

57. Hall, Mr Edward & Mrs Pauline. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

58. Moyes, Helen. View record. Listen

59. Veale, Sir Douglas. View record. Listen

60. Veale, Sir Douglas. View record. Listen

61. Veale, Sir Douglas. View record. Listen

62. Tabor, Miss Mary. View record. Listen

63. Thorndike, Sybil. View record. Listen

64. Patterson, Mrs Ann (née Stocks). View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

65. Tabor, Miss Lucy. View record. Listen

66. Hubback, David & Miss Rachel. View record. Listen

67. Hopkinson, Mr David & Mrs Diana. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

68. Wootton, Baroness. View record. Listen

69. Inglis, Miss Hazel. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

70. Raphael, Mrs Winifred. View record. Listen

71. Barrowman, Dr Barclay & Mrs. View record. Listen

72. Nelki, Mrs Erna. View record. Listen

73. Inglis, Miss Hazel. View record. Listen

74. Green, Helen. View record. Listen

75. Toomer, Miss Mabel re Mary Toomer. View record. Listen

76. Walker, Mrs Anne re Laura Taylor. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

77. Neale, Mrs Elizabeth. View record. Listen

78. Bartels, Miss Olive. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

79. Lidiard, Mrs Victoria (née Simmons). View record. Listen

80. Beeston, Miss Louisa & Jackson, Miss EM. View record. Listen

81. Clark, F Le Gros. View record. Listen

82. Yeadon, Mr & Mrs Herbert JG. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

83. Fulford, Roger. View record. Listen

84. Lewcock, Mrs Connie. View record. Listen

85. Links, Mrs Mary (née Lutyens). View record. Listen

86. Smith, Mr & Mrs Leslie. View record. Listen

87. Murray, Miss Flora. View record. Listen

88. Stephens, Mrs Marjorie Sprince. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

89. Mann, Miss J de L. View record. Listen 

90. Needham, Mrs Nita. View record. Listen

91. Hinton, Mrs Vere. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

92. Groom-Smith, Mrs Gladys. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

93. Fulford, Mrs Edith. View record. Listen

94. Lagsding, Miss Elsie. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

95. Unnamed worker at The Vote offices. View record. Listen

96. Northey, Mrs Molly. View record. Listen

97. Kempster, Miss Elizabeth. View record. Listen

98. Morrison, Miss Vida A. View record. Listen

99. Hodgson, Mrs Mary. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

100. Cottrell, Mr George. View record. Listen

101. Coningham, Miss Eva. View record. Listen

102. Groom-Smith, Mrs Gladys. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)   

103. Goodman, Mrs Peggy. View record. Listen

104. Cohen, Mrs Leonora. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

106. Corbett-Ashby, Dame Margery. View record. Listen

107. Cobbold, Lady Hermione | View record. Listen

108. Konter, Mrs & Hunter, Mrs. View record. Listen

109. Turnbull, Sir Frank. View record. Listen

110. Lytton, Lady Anne. View record. Listen

114. Collisson, Miss Margery Chave. View record. Listen

115. Gilliland, Mrs Jean & Platts-Mills, Mr & Mrs JFF. View record. Listen

116. Corbett-Ashby, Dame Margery. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

117. Douie, Miss Vera. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

118. Fairfield, Dr Letitia. View record. Listen

119. Jay, Mrs Peggy. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

120. Hunot, Mrs Jean. View record. Listen

121. Dunlop, Mrs Mary. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b). Listen (c)

122 - 123. Halpern, Mrs Barbara. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b). Listen (c)

124. Stocks, Miss Helen. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

125. Hill, Prof Rosalind & Barratt, Miss Christina | View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

126. Fairfield, Dr, Letitia. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

127. Corbett-Ashby, Dame Margery. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

128. Soper, Mrs Marjorie. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

129. Hilton, Miss Irene| View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

130. Wright, Dr Helena. View record. Listen

131. Horton, Mrs Gertrude. View record. Listen

132. Wentzel, Mr Cyril & Mrs Ursula. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

133. Stedman, Mrs Myra. View record. Listen

134. Furlong, Miss E re Kathleen Courtney. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

135. Daniels, Mr & Mrs. View record. Listen

136. Hamilton Smith, Miss E. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

137. Cox, Mrs Doris & Soper, Mrs Marjorie. View record. Listen

138. Halpin, Miss. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

139. Horton, Mrs Gertrude. View record. Listen

140. Cox, Mrs Doris & Schaerli, Mrs Vera. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

141. Hilton, Miss Irene. View record. Listen 

142. Richards, Mrs Alice. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

143. Groves, Mrs. View record. Listen

144. Frankenburg, Mrs Charis. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

145. Horton, Mrs Gertrude. View record. Listen

146. Wright, Mrs Elsie & Lewcock, Mrs Connie | View record. Listen

147. Balls, Miss Norah. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)   

148. Murdoch, Mrs Almora. View record. Listen

149. Wright, Dr Helena. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

150. Noel-Baker, Right Honourable Philip. View record. Listen

151. Balogh, Lord. View record. Listen

152. Campion, Sidney R. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

153. Schofield, Mrs Alice. View record. Listen    

154. Smieton, Dame Mary. View record. Listen 

155. Franklin, Mr Colin & Mrs Charlotte. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

156. Dugdale, George. View record. Listen

157. Stephen, Miss Jessie. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

158. Courtney, Mrs Mary. View record. Listen

159. Ward, Baroness Irene. View record. Listen

160. Thomas, Mrs Marion. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

161. Sheehy-Skeffington, Mrs André. View record. Listen

162. Fitzpatrick, Dr Elizabeth. View record. Listen

163. Litster, Mrs. View record. Listen

164. Comerford, Miss Maire. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

165. Robinson, Miss Margaret. View record. Listen

166. Ridgway, Mrs Margaret re Anna Munro. View record. Listen

167. Pyke, Dr David. View record. Listen

168. Adams, Mrs Dorothy re Anna Munro. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)    

169. Wolff, Mrs Helga. View record. Listen     

171. Coleman, Mrs Gwen. View record. Listen

172. Richley, Mrs Ursula & Mr Noel re Alice Franklin. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)     

173. Burrell, Lady. View record. Listen  

174. Picton-Turbervill, Wilfrid. View record. Listen

175. Wells, Mrs M. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

177. Raphael, Mrs Nancy. View record. Listen

178. Howard, Basil Alvin. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

179. Gibberd, Miss Kathleen. View record. Listen

180. Stewart, Right Honourable Michael MP. View record. Listen

181. Taylor, Dr Rosalie. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b) 

182. Hiorns, Miss Marjorie. View record. Listen

183. Hadow, Misses Christine & Rachel | View record. Listen

184. Marshall, Professor Thomas Humphrey. View record. Listen

185. Hadow, Miss Enid. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b) 

186. Halpern, Mrs Barbara. View record. Listen

187. Franklin, Norman & Jill. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b) 

188. Radice, Mrs Joan. View record. Listen

190. Brockway, Lord, (Archibald) Fenner. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

193. Shannon, Mrs Gertrude. View record. Listen    

194. Frankenburg, Mrs Charis. View record. Listen

195. Tippett, Sir Michael. View record. Listen

196. Wilson, Mrs Helen on Annot Robinson. View record. Listen

197. Hogan, Mrs Sue. View record. Listen

199. Tollett, Mrs. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

200. Ashby, Dr Michael & Mrs. View record. Listen (a). Listen (b)

201. Schaerli, Mrs Vera (aka Vera Craig). View record. Listen

202. Billington-Greig, Miss Fiona. View record. Listen. Listen (b)

203. Hopkinson, David and Diana. View record. Listen  

204. Warner, Grizel, Lady. View record. Listen   

205. McCall, Mrs Cicely. View record. Listen

 

Unavailable interviews

These interviews aren't available due to technical issues with the recordings or because they are closed under the Data Protection Act. Check individual records for further details.  

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