In the early years of the last century many of the bog public meetings held in Alexandra Park were dominated by the demand for votes for women.
The press reported on a series of such rallies from 1908 through to 1912 with speakers ranging from Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst, to Margaret Ashton and Mrs Annot Robinson.
One of the best documented was that held on October 24 1908 with a list of speakers which pretty much covered all the leading lights in the campaign both locally and nationally.*
There had been a public meeting the night before at the Free Trade Hall and on the Saturday the march set off from Albert Square and by degree made its way along Market Street, Deansgate, Peter Street, Oxford Street and then by way of Stretford Road, Upper Jackson Street to Upper Moss Lane and Alexandra Park.
Such was the distance and the expected numbers that the organisers planned for the march to start at 2.30 and enter the park by 4 o’clock.
Nothing had been left to chance. “A robbing room had been provided at 9 Albert Square where a maid will be in attendance between the hours of 1.p.m and 6.p.m., to take charge of hats &coats etc., for those who are walking in academic dress.”
On reaching the park there was provision in the shop to store the banners but societies wishing to take their banners in to the park were at liberty to do so with that ever so modern warning the “the Joint Demonstration Committee will not be responsible for their safety in any event.”
Today over a century and a bit since the demonstrators arrived at the park it is possible to create something of what happened.
The march had been orderly and in the bright sunshine attracted a large audience of spectators and the “walkers acted on the crowd of watchers like a perpetual provoker of argument. From Albert Square to the Park there were two miles of debaters for an and against the suffrage. As one hurried one caught queer fragments of speech – ‘....they’ll never get it; If they pay rates, I say it’s only fair ....’ ‘What’ll they do wiv it.’***
At the entrance to the park the first half of the procession entered by the man gate beside Hulme Lodge, while the second half made its way down Alexandra Road and entered by the side gate.
Both sections then converged on the large expanse of grassland to the north of the lake where there was the choice of those 35 speakers.
These were arranged on ten different platforms each with a theme, and with the help of the organisers map we can stand in that expanse of open space and choose who to listen to.
Platform one was given over to Housing and Health, two was Prison Reform, three Temperance, four Peace, and five Education. The remaining platforms were devoted to the Protection of Children at number six, Social Ethics at seven, the Poor Law at eight and the remaining two were Labour Legislation at nine and Co-operation at ten.
Some of the people wandered between the platforms while others loyally stayed with their first choice and largest of all was the audience for Mrs Despard speaking from the Social Ethics platform.
I have a sneaking feeling I might have tarried for a while in front of platform number ten to listen to Professor Weis speaking on Peace more because of his involvement with the Cactus House and his support for women’s suffrage.
But despite the plan to keep the platforms far enough away from each other it would have been possible to pick out snatches of other themes.
Speaking on Prison Reform Miss Robertson “showed how great an influence women had had in securing prison reforms,” while Margaret Ashton on the Poor Law platform also spoke on the contribution of women on the boards of guardians [and] claimed the vote so that women may have more influence on the making of the Poor Laws, so that those laws really may be made by the people for the people.”
The speeches lasted just an hour and at the stroke of five announced by the sound of a bugle all ten platforms presented the same resolution to the listeners “calling on the Government to incorporate in their promised Reform Bill a clause granting the Parliamentary franchise to women.”
After which for those who had not yet availed themselves of the opportunity there was tea at the Refreshment rooms, price 4d., 6d., and 9d.
Sadly I have no idea what you got for the different prices but I might just have opted for the economy offer at 4d and spent another penny on one of the scarlet and white badges promoting the cause which were on sale in the park and no doubt also picked up a leaflet or two on the “rights of the women’s just claim to the vote.”
Location; Manchester
Pictures; Alexandra Park, 1908, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, group of Suffragettes including Emmeline Pankhurst and Emily Wolstenholme, date unknown, m08239, and Annie Briggs, Evelyn Manestra, Lillian Forrester, 1913,m08224 courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass
*The 35 speakers included Miss Margaret Ashton, Mrs Despard, Mrs Swanwick, Professor Weiss, and Mr Pollit,
**Women’s Suffrage. Procession in the Manchester Streets; Manchester Guardian, October 26, 1908
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| Alexandra Park, 1908 |
One of the best documented was that held on October 24 1908 with a list of speakers which pretty much covered all the leading lights in the campaign both locally and nationally.*
There had been a public meeting the night before at the Free Trade Hall and on the Saturday the march set off from Albert Square and by degree made its way along Market Street, Deansgate, Peter Street, Oxford Street and then by way of Stretford Road, Upper Jackson Street to Upper Moss Lane and Alexandra Park.
Such was the distance and the expected numbers that the organisers planned for the march to start at 2.30 and enter the park by 4 o’clock.
Nothing had been left to chance. “A robbing room had been provided at 9 Albert Square where a maid will be in attendance between the hours of 1.p.m and 6.p.m., to take charge of hats &coats etc., for those who are walking in academic dress.”
 |
| Emmeline Pankhurst and Emily Wolstenholme, date unknown |
On reaching the park there was provision in the shop to store the banners but societies wishing to take their banners in to the park were at liberty to do so with that ever so modern warning the “the Joint Demonstration Committee will not be responsible for their safety in any event.”
Today over a century and a bit since the demonstrators arrived at the park it is possible to create something of what happened.
 |
| Annie Briggs, Evelyn Manestra, Lillian Forrester, 1913 |
At the entrance to the park the first half of the procession entered by the man gate beside Hulme Lodge, while the second half made its way down Alexandra Road and entered by the side gate.
These were arranged on ten different platforms each with a theme, and with the help of the organisers map we can stand in that expanse of open space and choose who to listen to.
Platform one was given over to Housing and Health, two was Prison Reform, three Temperance, four Peace, and five Education. The remaining platforms were devoted to the Protection of Children at number six, Social Ethics at seven, the Poor Law at eight and the remaining two were Labour Legislation at nine and Co-operation at ten.
Some of the people wandered between the platforms while others loyally stayed with their first choice and largest of all was the audience for Mrs Despard speaking from the Social Ethics platform.
I have a sneaking feeling I might have tarried for a while in front of platform number ten to listen to Professor Weis speaking on Peace more because of his involvement with the Cactus House and his support for women’s suffrage.
But despite the plan to keep the platforms far enough away from each other it would have been possible to pick out snatches of other themes.
The speeches lasted just an hour and at the stroke of five announced by the sound of a bugle all ten platforms presented the same resolution to the listeners “calling on the Government to incorporate in their promised Reform Bill a clause granting the Parliamentary franchise to women.”
After which for those who had not yet availed themselves of the opportunity there was tea at the Refreshment rooms, price 4d., 6d., and 9d.
Sadly I have no idea what you got for the different prices but I might just have opted for the economy offer at 4d and spent another penny on one of the scarlet and white badges promoting the cause which were on sale in the park and no doubt also picked up a leaflet or two on the “rights of the women’s just claim to the vote.”
Location; Manchester
*The 35 speakers included Miss Margaret Ashton, Mrs Despard, Mrs Swanwick, Professor Weiss, and Mr Pollit,
**Women’s Suffrage. Procession in the Manchester Streets; Manchester Guardian, October 26, 1908
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