2018 Centenary Events Programme

Exploring our past together

The Representation of the People Act 1918 2018 Centenary Events Programme

creativecentenaries.org

Led by

Exploring our past together

Funders

Partners

2018 marks the 100th Anniversary of the passing of the Representation of the People Act. This landmark Act gave voting rights to women and paved the way for Universal Suffrage.

Not only did the Act enfranchise women over the age of thirty who met the minimum property qualifications, it also abolished practically all previous property qualifications for men. As such, it’s an important milestone not just for women, but for men too.

The Act also instituted the present system of holding general elections on one day and introduced the annual electoral register.

The Department for Communities, which has responsibility for gender equality policy, is coordinating a series of events in Northern Ireland throughout the Centenary year to: • mark the centenary; • educate young people on its significance; and • build a legacy for the future by encouraging young women into political and public life.

Visit www.creativecentenaries.org for up to date information and events listings throughout the year.

Creative Centenaries, in partnership with the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, and with the support of the Department for Communities, will mark this most significant of anniversary years through a programme of events, the development of new resources, digital creativity workshops and the shared promotion of events taking place across Northern Ireland.

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Women, Politics and Militancy Suffragettes were women who sought the right to vote through militant action – including organised protests, interrupting political meetings, and attacking buildings. The word ‘suffragette’ was coined by the Daily Mail in 1906.

Women, Class and War

Reform and Equality

The First World War broke out in August 1914. The militant suffragette campaign came to a cessation as a result, with all elements of society coming together in their focus on the War effort.

The Representation of the People Act 1918, or Fourth Reform Act, came into force on 6 February 1918. Women over 30 years old could register for a Parliamentary vote as long as they (or their husband) qualified for a local government vote. The local government franchise was also extended to all single women over the age of 21 years on the same basis as men.

Voices and Votes – The Suffragists’ Campaign Suffrage and Representation A suffragist was a person advocating the extension of voting rights, especially of the People, 1832-1928 Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Runs until 31 August 2018 and travels from September 2018 The Representation of the People Act 1918 was the fourth significant reform of the electoral system in Britain and Ireland, which began with the Great Reform Act of 1832. A new exhibition from the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland explores the history of suffrage, with particular emphasis on the struggle for women’s representation, including unique archival material.

Representation of the People: ARM/5/3/2/11A

to women. Suffragists believed their goals could be achieved using peaceful means – including non-violent demonstrations, petitions, publications and the lobbying of MPs.

Carson’s Betrayal of Women? Unionist attitudes to female suffrage, 1912-14

Women’s Legion: D3099/14/2/1/1/4/11

Women campaigner: INF/7/A/2/20

The suffrage movement in Ulster was set against a backdrop of political upheaval, with successive Home Rule Bills aiming to bring about the self-government of Ireland within the United Kingdom.

Edith, Lady Londonderry was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the Women’s Volunteer Reserve, formed to replace the men who had gone to War. She championed women’s involvement in agriculture and formed the Women’s Legion in 1915.

Isabella Tod: Courtesy of The Women’s Library collection at LSE

As a result of the campaigning of Isabella Tod (above), in 1887, Belfast was the first city in Ireland to grant municipal franchise to women, although candidacy remained exclusively male.

Countess Markievicz: National Library of Ireland

Two women contested a Parliamentary seat for the first time – Winifred Carney in Belfast Victoria, who was unsuccessful, and Constance Markievicz (above) in Dublin St Patrick’s, who was the first woman elected to the House of Commons in Westminster, but as a member for Sinn Féin did not take her seat.

Mackie & Sons: D3964/H/12/B/001

Charles Alexander letter: D4121/F/4/2/3/22

Strabane demonstration: D1422/B/19/1

English suffragists visited Belfast and Derry~Londonderry in 1910 and 1911, where they staged rallies and enacted ‘mock laws’ – role-playing women receiving the right to vote (above).

The Representation of the People Act 1928, or Equal Franchise Act, led to universal adult suffrage in the United Kingdom. From 1928 onwards, electoral registers (left) included men and women on an equal basis.

On 4 June 1913, prominent suffragette Emily Davison ran onto the racetrack at the Epsom Derby. She was knocked to the ground by the King George V’s horse and died from her injuries. Charles Adam Murray wrote of the incident to his mother (above): ‘There was a bad scene when the wretched suffragette caught the king’s horse and nearly killed his jockey.’

In Belfast, factories such as James Mackie & Sons (above) provided employment for many working and middle class women when they moved over to munitions manufacture during the War.

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Wednesday 8 August 2018 With Edward Carson opposed to women’s right to vote and the Women’s Social and Political Union declaring war on Unionism in 1914, you might assume that the Unionist attitude during the Home Rule Crisis was homogeneously anti-suffrage. Historian Jason Burke poses that the relationship between Unionism and suffragists was, in fact, much more complicated than it first appears.

The Dreams Must be Dreamed: The Life and Times of Charlotte Despard Dehra Chichester: © IWM (WWC D8-5-872)

In 1921, Dehra Chichester, later Parker (above), and Julia McMordie were the first women elected to the new Parliament of Northern Ireland. Chichester acted as the Minister of Health and Local Government from 1949 to 1957.

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Friday 10 August 2018 Philip Orr will discuss the life of Charlotte Despard, one of the most remarkable figures of the women’s suffrage movement who lived for a while on Belfast’s Newtownards Road in the 1930s.

Creative Centenaries Resources

Creative Centenaries Resources

Stand Up, Be Counted iBook

Graphic Novels

2.5D Animation

Two new graphic novel stories looking at the lives of Countess Constance Markievicz and Edith, Lady Londonderry are now available. The stories look at the different approaches taken by two leading female activists at the turn of the 20th century. Curriculum linked to Key Stage 3, the resources also feature interactive tasks for the classroom.

A new 2.5D animation charting the suffrage movement in Ireland is available to view online. Beginning with the early suffrage societies through the emergence of suffragists and the eventual granting of voting rights to women, the film looks in particular at the movements in Ireland and the changes in society. View the film online, use it in the classroom, play it at an event.

Previous graphic novels featuring Winifred Carney, Alice Milligan and Kathleen Lynn also explore the leading role played by Irish women through the Decade of Centenaries.

Nerve Centre has developed an interactive iBook resource based on original records and materials held at PRONI. The new educational resource features an array of extracts from the PRONI archives and documents some of the nuanced and interwoven narratives, both local and global, which influenced the situation of women in Ireland at this time.

The iBook also features interactive quizzes, video content and classroom exercises.

Schools & Community Programme

Bespoke workshops and training programmes can also be designed to suit your needs.

Creative Centenaries is offering a package of creative and digital workshops to primary and secondary schools, and community groups, linked to its new resources. Workshops will use digital technology such as filmmaking, comic book creation and audio recording to help students and young people delve into the seismic events of 1918 and to gain a deeper understanding of the past.

To arrange workshops or for any other enquiries, contact the Nerve Centre on 028 7126 0562 or email info@creativecentenaries.org

Download all resources for free from www.creativecentenaries.org

National Museums NI Events

National Museums NI Events Hear Her Voice To mark the centenary year, National Museums NI are celebrating the women in their collections through Hear Her Voice, an exciting year-long programme of exhibitions and events across the Ulster Museum, Ulster Folk & Transport Museum and Ulster American Folk Park. The programme will look deeper into the women and their stories in order to better represent their contribution to society and their achievements.

Wicked Wit: Darly’s Comic Prints Ulster Museum, Belfast Friday 30 March – Sunday 23 September 2018 Wicked Wit: Darly’s Comic Prints features over 100 hand-coloured comic prints produced in London by the husband and wife team of Mary and Matthew Darly and reflect the humour of Georgian society in the 1770s, poking fun, in particular, of the ridiculous dress of young men and women.

Elizabeth Magill – HEADLAND Ulster Museum, Belfast Runs until Sunday 23 September 2018 HEADLAND is a major exhibition of new work by Elizabeth Magill (born 1959), one of the most intuitive and highly respected painters of her generation.

Fashion & Feminism

Can Fashion be Feminist?

Ulster Museum, Belfast Friday 22 June 2018 – Sunday 2 June 2019

Ulster Museum, Belfast Thursday 25 October 2018

Feminism has never been so fashionable… or has it? From suffragettes dressed to protest, to feminist statement t-shirts, this exhibition will uncover the links between style and sisterhood.

Hiding in Plain Sight: The Sartorial Strategy of the Suffragette Sisterhood Ulster Museum, Belfast Thursday 27 September 2018 A lunchtime talk from Cally Blackman, renowned fashion historian and author, related to the exhibition Fashion & Feminism.

Talk from Tansy Hoskins, author of Stitched-Up: The Anti-Capitalist Book of Fashion related to the exhibition Fashion & Feminism.

National Trust Events

National Trust Events Women and Power The long struggle for women’s suffrage and the debates it inspired across the homes, workplaces and communities of England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be explored in 2018 as part of the National Trust’s commemoration to mark 100 years since the passing of the Representation of the People Act. Events, exhibitions, on-site tours and creative commissions will take place at properties with links to both sides of the suffrage movement.

Jazz Sundays Mount Stewart, Newtownards Sunday 24 June, Sunday 29 July, Sunday 26 August & Sunday 30 September Summer favourite, Jazz Sundays return with a new vintage twist showcasing fashion and identity.

Conversations Festival Mount Stewart, Newtownards Saturday 1 & Sunday 2 September An unmissable weekend festival celebrating the arts, literature, music and big ideas and will centre on the theme of Women in Power, 100 years on from women being granted the right to vote. This year’s festival will build on the success of two previous events, featuring the very best conversationalists from Ian Hislop to Kate Adie, and offer an unparalleled programme of arts and entertainment. To celebrate the return of the festival, Mount Stewart will throw open its doors and offer free entry to the grounds throughout the festival and access to Mount Stewart will be free.

Faces of Change: Votes for Women Exhibition Mount Stewart, Newtownards 9 November 2018 – 3 February 2019 Bringing together key elements of the Mount Stewart and National Portrait Gallery’s collections to explore the themes of gender, identity and perceptions of power. The exhibition will look at Edith, Lady Londonderry, the founder of the Women’s Legion and her role in the campaign for women’s votes.

It will spark discussion about the role and tactics employed by the peaceful suffragists compared to the militant suffragettes. Items from the property’s collection will include Lady Londonderry’s Women’s Legion Uniform, the military DBE awarded to her for war work in 1917, and portraits by society painters John Singer Sargent and Philip de László.

Celebrating Mary Ward Castle Ward, County Down Various dates throughout 2018 Celebrating the legacy of trailblazing scientist and artist Mary Ward, the Mary Ward Discovery Zone will help children and families create their own experiments at events during the year, all leading to a full celebration of Mary’s legacy in 2019.

Hidden Graces of Florence Court Florence Court, Enniskillen Throughout 2018 Uncover the tales and stories of the remarkable women of Florence Court and how they shaped the wider estate and further afield.

Highlight Events

Highlight Events

Lisburn 1918-23, #MakingHistory Community Conflict 1918 Exhibition and Commemoration after Tower Museum, Derry~Londonderry Thursday 26 July 2018 – December 2018 the Great War Exhibition Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum Friday 29 June – Monday 31 December 2018 Using photographs, letters, artefacts, books and uniforms, this new exhibition documents the rich history of Lisburn and surrounding area during a turbulent period in the history of Ireland.

Heroics, Heritage and Happenstance Linen Hall Library Friday 7 September 2018

A new exhibition looking at the changing face of politics, culture and society across Ireland in 1918, including women voting for the first time. In 1918, Ireland was very much part of a global mood of excitement and change after the destruction of the previous four years.

Marking the centenary of the Representation of the People Act 1918, Caroline Maguire from Historic Environment Division will chart the buildings which provided the backdrop to events 100 years ago.

‘Unfinished Business?’

The Women’s Sector Speaks Out

The panel discussing these issues will include Kelly Andrews, Chief Executive of Belfast & Lisburn Women’s Aid; Kellie Turtle, Women’s Resource and Development Agency, and Betty Carlisle, Shankill Women’s Centre.

The John Hewitt International Summer School, The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre, Armagh Thursday 26 July 2018 Establishing equal rights between women and men is an ongoing issue, and continuing inequalities have been the focus of many challenging current affairs including the #metoo movement, Times Up campaign, and the rising statistics of gendered crimes such as domestic homicide.

Baroness May Blood

Anne Acheson Exhibition

Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum Tuesday 18 September 2018

Millennium Court Arts Centre April 2019

Baroness May Blood speaks about her experience as a worker in the linen mills, trade union activist and how she uses her experience of supporting women in work and politics in her role as a member of the House of Lords. May was the first woman from Northern Ireland to receive a peerage. The talk will be followed by a discussion.

During the First World War, Anne Acheson worked for the Surgical Requisites Association in London, where she devised the plaster cast splint as we know it today – she was also a suffragist.

Service and Sacrifice Museum of Orange Heritage, Belfast Runs until 15 December 2018 New exhibition marking the centenary of Armistice by chronicling the remarkable personal stories of individuals associated with the Loyal Institutions who enlisted for King and country, including Jean Victor Bates, who served with the Ambulance Corps, and was recognised for her service by both the Belgian and Serbian governments.

A selection of images from Processions in Belfast in June 2018, a mass artwork celebrating 100 years of women voting, produced by Artichoke and commissioned by 14-18 NOW.

Exploring our past together

creativecentenaries.org