Weaving and the Suffragettes

From researching about the suffragette connections, I have discovered information regarding weaving and the suffragette movement.  Whilst this is not directly linked to the Peasant Arts movement, it provides an interesting insight into what was happening with other weavers at the time, and also it allows me to use some nice festive pictures!

Altered original from The Women's Library (London Metropolitan University), Suffrage Banners collection

 Haslemere’s Suffragette banner was made by the nearby St Edmundsbury Weaving Works at College Hill, Haslemere. The banner which was noted by the newspaper at the time for being particularly beautiful carried the slogan ‘weaving fair and weaving free England’s web of destiny’ (Surrey Times, 20 June 1908).   Whilst I cannot find a picture of this banner, their banner for the first garden city, Letchworth Garden City, where they relocated in 1908 is certainly striking.

St Edmundsbury Weavers baner, designed by  Edmund Hunter, 1909 from First Garden City Heritage Museum, Letchworth

St Edmundsbury Weaving Works was established in 1902 in Haslemere by Edmund Hunter, and in 1908 it moved to Letchworth Garden City to a purpose built factory.  According to the Garden City Museum the St Edmundsbury Weaving Works produced hand woven silks for church furnishings and theatre sets and coat linings for Burberry’s.  Demand for the linings became so great that the company introduced power looms and relocated to the purpose built factory.  The company made some items designed by C.F. Voysey which are in the Victoria and Albert Museum.  Wright (Hindhead or The English Switzerland, Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co, 1898) reported on the 1905 Handicraft exhibition held at Haslemere, “the result of the anti-machinery movement which had for sometime been on foot in the county” which included Godfrey Blount and was visited by “Her Majesty the Queen, who purchased several articles and gave orders for others”.  This was Queen Alexandra, Wright states that “from the St Edmundsbury silk-weaving looms…came the rich red silk hangings now in use in the private chapel at Buckingham Palace”.

from The Women's Library (London Metropolitan University), Suffrage Banners collection

Referring to presumably to Haslemere’ banner as seen at the Women’s Sunday suffragette march on 21st June 1908  in London where 200,000-300,000 people gathered in Hyde Park, one of the largest single demonstrations at that time.  Jutta Schwarzkopf devotes a chapter in her book Unpicking Gender: the social construction of gender in the Lanchasire cotton to ‘Weaving Fair and Weaving Free: England; Web of Destiny – Interweaving Shopfloor, Home and Street’.  Banners played an important part in the suffragette movement, being carried at marches and displaying detailed and colourful works of art, bearing emblems, names of campaigners and famous female figures and achievements.  

from The Women's Library (London Metropolitan University), Suffrage Banners collection

In a pamphlet called "Banners and Banner-Making" written by Mary Lowndes meticulous advice is given upon the size and construction of suffragette banners, "the Artists' Suffrage League has invented a double hook, made on the lines of those used for Church banners, which is fixed to the upright pole at about one foot from the top and which prevents the banner from swinging round when carried; it can be obtained from the Secretary, price 6d."  The Women’s Library has an amazing collection of these, which includes one for Josephine Butler (1828-1906), who was recorded in a previous post: Greville MacDonald’s father, George MacDonald regarded her as a close friend.  She was a feminist particularly concerned with the welfare of prostitutes.  

from The Women's Library (London Metropolitan University), Suffrage Banners collection

Banners were specially designed for the Women’s Trades and Profession Procession in 1909.  Although these banners were not confined to being woven as can be seen below.

from The Women's Library (London Metropolitan University), Suffrage Banners collection

Schwarzkopf interprets the Haslemere banner as being produced by oppressed factory workers, which is at odds with the Haslemere Weaving Industry, but it is possible that the St Edmundsbury Weaving Works was less socially inclined, although it is noted that they gave staff paid holidays which was unusual at the time.

Women's Sunday March, 21 June 1908, from the Museum of London collection

Schwarzkopf reports that the weavers of the Haslemere banner: “used their work-related skills to produce an item the object of which was to proclaim to the public at large the extent to which they saw themselves as determining how their country fared economically. 

from The Women's Library (London Metropolitan University), Suffrage Banners collection

Being employed in one of Brtiain’s key industries, they regarded her economic destiny as hinging upon both the volume and quality of the produce of their labour.  Yet their participation in the big London rally at the same time demonstrates that they felt their crucial role their country’s economy to be at odds with the recognition denied them as citizens. 

from The Women's Library (London Metropolitan University), Suffrage Banners collection

 Significantly, on that march, they adopted a stand, not only as disenfranchised women, but also, in a marked display of self-confidence, as female weavers claiming the recognition they felt was due to them in their double role of skilled workers and women….the outstanding feature of the weavers’ banner was therefore its celebration of working women’s pride in their contribution to the well-being of the country articulated by the women themselves.”

A liberty goose delivering votes, from The Women's Library (London Metropolitan University), Suffrage Banners collection