| Summary : Park House, comprising No. 22 Great Smith Street and Nos. 1 and 2 Abbey Orchard Street, was built in 1898. It is four storeys high with low dormer windows and was built on a corner site with one bay to Great Smith Street and eight to Abbey Orchard Street. The building has decorative modelled terracotta features that were to the designs of W J Neatby. In 1988-92 it was gutted so as to create an atrium block along with Nos. 16-26 Great Smith Street.From 1911-1917, No. 14 Great Smith Street was the headquarters of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS). It was during this time that the NUWSS formed an alliance with the Labour Party whom at their annual conference in 1912 had passed a resolution to support women's suffrage. To strengthen the alliance, the NUWSS set up the Election Fighting Fund (EFF) which was used to support Labour candidates at by-elections. While there were differing levels of support for the EFF between the regions, the policy was to see some success. As the NUWSS forged a closer relationship with the Labour Party, an increasing number of working class women became involved the campaign for enfranchisement.With the outbreak of the First World War, the NUWSS suspended political activities and focussed on relief work. In April 1915, following the NUWSS decision not to support the Women's Peace Congress at the Hague, all members of the executive committee apart from the president, treasurer and ten committee members, resigned. The NUWSS resumed their campaigning activities in 1916, organising a joint committee of suffrage societies in order to lobby Mr Speaker's Conference for the extension of the franchise.
|
| More information : No. 14 Great Smith Street was the headquarters of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) from 1911 until 1917.
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.
Following exponential growth in NUWSS membership between 1909 and 1910, the Union underwent restructuring so that regions were allotted federations of local societies. By 1911 the NUWSS had 16 federations and 26 000 members.
During 1911, the NUWSS continued their campaigning efforts and lobbying parliament for the passing of the Conciliation Bill. Following the failed second reading of the bill in March 1912, the NUWSS sought to form an alliance with the Labour Party whom at their annual conference had passed a resolution to support women's suffrage. To strengthen this alliance, the NUWSS set up the Election Fighting Fund (EFF) which would be used to support Labour candidates at by-elections. By July 1912, there were local EFF committees within each federation and while there were differing levels of support between the regions, the policy was to see some success.
In January 1913, following the failure of proposed amendments to the Franchise and Registration Bill, the NUWSS decided to shift its focus from lobbying parliament to building support in the country. They felt that as no further pieces of legislation were likely to make progress in parliament before the next general election, it seemed to shift their focus away from parliament.
With the outbreak of the First World War, the NUWSS suspended political activities and focussed on relief work. Following the NUWSS decision not to support the Women's Peace Congress at the Hague, all members of the executive committee apart from the president, treasurer and ten committee members, resigned in April 1915.
The passing of the Representation of the People Act in 1918 was a partial victory for the suffrage campaign, granting voting rights to women over the age of 30. (1)
The alliance formed between the NUWSS and the Labour Party encouraged an increasing number of working-class women to participate in the suffrage campaign. This was especially the case in the North West of the country.
In 1916 the NUWSS resumed their campaigning activities. They organised a joint committee of suffrage societies and lobbied Mr Speaker's Conference for the extension of the franchise. (2)
Orchard House, comprising No. 14 Great Smith Street and Nos. 1 and 2 Abbey Orchard Street, was built in 1898. It features modelled terracotta by W J Neatby and has terracotta dressings and ornaments with a plain tile roof to eaves. On a corner site with one bay to Great Smith Street and eight to Abbey Orchard St, the building is four storeys high with low dormer windows. It has decorative moulded terracotta doorheads, with the words 'Orchard House' above the corner entrance and peacock motifs above that to Abbey Orchard Street. (3)
According to Pevsner and Bradley, No. 14 Great Smith Street was gutted in 1988-92 to create an atrium block along with Nos. 16-26. This work was carried out to the designs of Gibberd, Coombes and Partners. (4)
Previous sources have erroneously placed the NUWSS HQ at Orchard House, 14 Great Smith Street. Great Smith Street was re-numbered in 1925/6 and what was 14 became 22. The building that the NUWSS were headquartered in - called Parliament Chambers when they were there - also changed its name (to Park House) in about 1921. (5)
|