Fonds GB 106 2CSS - Consultative Committee of Constitutional Women's Suffrage Societies

Identity area

Reference code

GB 106 2CSS

Title

Consultative Committee of Constitutional Women's Suffrage Societies

Date(s)

  • 1916-1919 (Creation)

Level of description

Fonds

Extent and medium

0.5 A box (1 folder)

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Consultative Committee of Constitutional Women's Suffrage Societies (1916-1918) was established in Mar 1916 by the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies in response to the government proposed changes to the national electoral register, to take effect at the end of the First World War. Its first meeting was held on 5th May and on the committee were representatives of twenty societies, with three more joining the following year. The first Chair elected was Eleanor Rathbone, the honorary secretary was Dr Gwynne Vaughn (replaced by Miss Ayrton Gould in 1917), the treasurer was the Countess of Selborne and the secretary was Helen Wright. It was through the medium of this committee that the suffrage societies co-ordinated the constituent societies efforts and petitioned the government for the inclusion of women's suffrage in the franchise Reform Bill. The committee's efforts were initially unsuccessful: the government's Electoral Reform conference that took place in Oct 1916 to address the issue initially refused to allow the Consultative Committee to give evidence. However, when Asquith was deposed from the premiership in Dec 1916, they were able to present their arguments to the authorities. In particular, the Consultative Committee was able to organise a Joint Parliamentary Committee comprising an equal number of MPs and women's representatives, which was active during the passage of the bill and produced a report in Jun 1917. When the prospect of a positive outcome became clear, the Consultative Committee called a conference in Jan 1918 to consider the possibility of joint action by Women's Societies after the passing of the Electoral Bill in the fields of political, economic and social equality between the sexes. The constitution was changed to accommodate these changes and 1918 it became the Consultative Committee of Women's Societies Working for Equal Citizenship.

Repository

Archival history

GB 106 2CSS 1916-1919 fonds 0.5 A box (1 folder) Consultative Committee of Constitutional Women's Suffrage Societies

The Consultative Committee of Constitutional Women's Suffrage Societies (1916-1918) was established in Mar 1916 by the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies in response to the government proposed changes to the national electoral register, to take effect at the end of the First World War. Its first meeting was held on 5th May and on the committee were representatives of twenty societies, with three more joining the following year. The first Chair elected was Eleanor Rathbone, the honorary secretary was Dr Gwynne Vaughn (replaced by Miss Ayrton Gould in 1917), the treasurer was the Countess of Selborne and the secretary was Helen Wright. It was through the medium of this committee that the suffrage societies co-ordinated the constituent societies efforts and petitioned the government for the inclusion of women's suffrage in the franchise Reform Bill. The committee's efforts were initially unsuccessful: the government's Electoral Reform conference that took place in Oct 1916 to address the issue initially refused to allow the Consultative Committee to give evidence. However, when Asquith was deposed from the premiership in Dec 1916, they were able to present their arguments to the authorities. In particular, the Consultative Committee was able to organise a Joint Parliamentary Committee comprising an equal number of MPs and women's representatives, which was active during the passage of the bill and produced a report in Jun 1917. When the prospect of a positive outcome became clear, the Consultative Committee called a conference in Jan 1918 to consider the possibility of joint action by Women's Societies after the passing of the Electoral Bill in the fields of political, economic and social equality between the sexes. The constitution was changed to accommodate these changes and 1918 it became the Consultative Committee of Women's Societies Working for Equal Citizenship.

Unknown: the archive was listed c 1989, so the records must have been deposited prior to that date.

The archive consists of signed minutes and associated papers, including sub-committees and conferences. From 1918 it was known as the Consultative Committee of Women's Societies for Equal Citizenship.

This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.

English

Collection level description available on-line on the Women's Library website

Details of the foundation of the committee are to be found in the annual reports of the National Union of Woman's Suffrage Societies 1916-8; see 2NWS.

Finding aid created by export from CALM v7.2.14 Archives Hub EAD2002. Edited for AIM25 by Sarah Drewery.

In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

08/01/2008 Actresses' Franchise League Catholic Women's Suffrage Society Rathbone , Eleanor Florence , 1872-1946 , independent MP and social reformer Women Organizations Associations Womens organizations Social and economic rights Equal opportunity Rights of special groups Womens rights Womens status Internal politics Electoral systems Womens suffrage Conservative & Unionist Women's Franchise Association Consultative Committee of Constitutional Women's Suffrage Societies National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies Women's Freedom League Women's Industrial Council Women's Tax Resistance League Sex Sex distribution

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Unknown: the archive was listed c 1989, so the records must have been deposited prior to that date.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

The archive consists of signed minutes and associated papers, including sub-committees and conferences. From 1918 it was known as the Consultative Committee of Women's Societies for Equal Citizenship.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.

Conditions governing reproduction

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Details of the foundation of the committee are to be found in the annual reports of the National Union of Woman's Suffrage Societies 1916-8; see 2NWS.

Finding aids

Collection level description available on-line on the Women's Library website

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Publication note

Notes area

Note

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

Women's Library

Rules and/or conventions used

In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area