| Summary : The headquarters of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) was located at No. 25 Victoria Street, London from 1903 until 1910, in offices built in 1897. The Central Society for Women's Suffrage shared the office with the NUWSS, changing its name to the London Society for Women's Suffrage in 1907. The London Society were noted as occupying No. 25 Victoria Street in 1907 and may have remained there until 1910 since both societies moved to No. 58 Victoria Street during that year. Evidence suggests that the building was demolished at some stage prior to 1994.The NUWSS formed in October 1897 following its proposal at a conference of all women's suffrage societies in Birmingham a year earlier. Its formation recognised the need for a structured and centralised approach to their campaign which would enable them to exert the maximum amount of pressure on the annual presentation of the parliamentary bill. Several members of the NUWSS left in 1903 to form the more radical Women's Social and Political Union, while those remaining continued campaigning peacefully through demonstrations and by putting pressure on MPs. The Central Society for Women's Suffrage formed in 1900 through the amalgamation of the Central and Western Society for Women's Suffrage (CWSWS) with the Central and Eastern Society for Women's Suffrage. They became the London Society for Women's Suffrage following the reorganisation of the NUWSS in 1907. The London Society was responsible for organising 'The Mud March', undertaken in February 1907 as well as smaller meetings and exhibitions. |
More information : No. 25 Victoria Street, London, was the headquarters of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) from 1903 until 1910. The Central Society for Women's Suffrage shared the office with the NUWSS, changing its name to the London Society for Women's Suffrage in 1907. The London Society were noted as occupying No. 25 Victoria Street in 1907 and may have remained there until 1910 since both societies moved to No. 58 Victoria Street in that year.
The NUWSS formed in October 1897 following its proposal at a conference of all women's suffrage societies in Birmingham a year earlier. Its formation recognised the need for a structured and centralised approach to their campaign which would enable them to exert the maximum amount of pressure on the annual presentation of the parliamentary bill. While an Executive Committee focussed their efforts on trying to influence parliament, the local societies concentrated on gathering support in their area of the country.
On 16-17 October 1903 the National Convention for the Civic Rights of Women was held at Holborn Town Hall and the event was sponsored by the NUWSS. At the convention it was resolved that the NUWSS would ask Cabinet members and opposition leaders to receive deputations concerning women's right to vote. They were also instructed to write to MPs on the matter, raise £2000 a year for campaigning activities and form committees in every borough in order to place greater pressure on MPs and influence political parties to select candidates in favour of women's suffrage.
A new constitution was adopted by the NUWSS in January 1907 which strengthened their organisational structure. A few weeks later, on 9th February, they took part in their first large-scale demonstration, later called 'The Mud March'. It had involved 3000 women and took place from Hyde Park Corner to Exeter Hall in the Strand.
Between 1907 and 1909, the NUWSS concentrated on supporting candidates of by-elections who were in favour of women's suffrage. In 1910, they contributed to the formulation of a bill based on municipal franchise which was drafted by a committee comprising 36 MPs. It passed the second reading but was ultimately unsuccessful.
In July of that year they staged a grand rally alongside the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) as a means of demonstrating solidarity within their shared cause. Such publicity had a positive effect since the membership of the NUWSS grew from 13 429 in 1909 to 21 571 in 1910. The growth in NUWSS membership led to a restructuring of the Union so that regions were allotted federations of local societies. By 1911 the NUWSS had 16 federations and 26 000 members.
The Central Society for Women's Suffrage formed in 1900 through the amalgamation of the Central and Western Society for Women's Suffrage (CWSWS) with the Central and Eastern Society for Women's Suffrage. In 1907 they became the London Society for Women's Suffrage following the reorganisation of the NUWSS in that same year. It had 62 member branches in London and had a membership of 4000 by 1912. They also recruited non-paying members, of whom they had 20 000 by that same year.
The London Society organised 'The Mud March', undertaken in February 1907 as well as smaller meetings and exhibitions. (1)
As the NUWSS continued working to exert pressure on parliament, the more radical members became increasingly disillusioned with the society's lack of success in achieving their aims. As a result, several members left in 1903 to establish the Women's Social and Political Union and began engaging in a militant campaign which the NUWSS increasingly distanced itself from. (2)
According to Pevsner and Bradley (2003), Nos. 21-29 Victoria Street were built in 1994-6 to the designs of Rolfe Judd Planning. (3)
It may be assumed that the office used by the NUWSS and the London Society for Women's Suffrage was demolished some time prior to 1994 since according to source 3 the building currently occupying No. 25 Victoria Street was built at this time. (4)
This is a photograph taken on 13 June 1908 of a women's suffrage procession organised by the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies on their way to Albert Hall from Embankment. The photograph is in the collection at the Museum of London and is ID no. MoL_IN1275. To see the image, click on the link in the list of sources. (5) |