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What methods did the suffragettes use, and how effective were these in gaining the vote for women?
temporary period of time to recover. The legislation was an ingenious way of solving the problem, but it was quickly mocked by the suffragettes. All of these methods were not proving enough to gain women the vote, so the Suffragettes looked to disrupting what they regarded as the male authority of the church and state, and harassing authority.
The WSPU put a lot of energy into attacking the church, and condemned it for its ‘shameful and obsequiously compliant attitude’ in not speaking out against the perceived torture of imprisoned suffrage martyrs. The church was largely criticised because Jesus Christ was regarded as a rebel who spoke out against injustice. There were widespread protests in various churches and cathedrals, where suffragettes interrupted services to pray in support of votes for women. Parliament was an obvious object of attack, as it was Parliament alone who held authority to grant the vote to women. From the beginning the WSPU heckled politicians who had ignored their gentle tactics. Much needed publicity could be created through the disruption of meetings, such as that in Manchester Free Trade Hall by Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney. Imprisonment was news. Protests at public meetings proved to be a very successful means of calling attention to the demand for votes for women. A continuation of disruption of this nature by suffragettes led to the banning of women from political meetings. The response of the WSPU to this was concealing themselves between organ pipes, lurking under platforms, or even arriving in mid air swinging on ropes through skylights. Politicians were also harassed at golf clubs, when they were leaving churches, and when they were dining at home. The strategy of interrupting speeches marked a watershed in suffrage history. By stopping male politicians speaking, it not only challenged authority but claimed a political voice for women who were supposed to remain silent. The WSPU aimed to embarrass the Liberal Government causing defeat, and success in gaining the vote.
The effectiveness of the tactics used by the suffragettes, as with the suffragists was varied. Many of their individual methods, peaceful or militant, drew attention to the cause and raise awareness. However increased violence did sometimes cause hostility towards WSPU. Through using innovative measures such as window smashing, arson attacks and hunger striking, the suffragettes managed to keep their cause of female suffrage within the media, but this does beg the question as to whether the publicity received within the media was of a beneficial nature, and therefore was it really effective in gaining the vote in 1918.
In conclusion it is important to not look at the NUWSS and WSPU as two separate organisations, but to combine them as both working towards a common goal, votes for women. The destructive methods of the WSPU have been the subject of much research.