Evelyn Sharp (suffragist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Evelyn Sharp
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Evelyn Jane Sharp
4 August 1869 London, United Kingdom
|
| Died | 17 June 1955 (aged 85) London, United Kingdom
|
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Writer, Suffragist |
Evelyn Jane Sharp (born August 4, 1869 – died June 17, 1955) was an important person in the fight for women's rights in Britain. She was a key member of two main groups that worked for women's right to vote, called women's suffrage. These groups were the Women's Social and Political Union and the United Suffragists.
Evelyn helped start the United Suffragists. She also became the editor of the newspaper Votes for Women during the First World War. She was put in prison twice for her activism. She also refused to pay taxes to protest. Evelyn was a well-known author, especially for her children's books.
Contents
Early Life and Becoming a Writer
Evelyn Sharp was born on August 4, 1869. She was the ninth of eleven children. She only went to a boarding school for two years. Even so, she passed many university exams.
In 1894, Evelyn moved to London. Her family did not want her to go. In London, she wrote and published several books. These included All the Way to Fairyland (1898) and The Other Side of the Sun (1900).
Around 1903, Evelyn started writing articles for newspapers. Her friend, Henry Nevinson, helped her find this work. She wrote for the Daily Chronicle and the Pall Mall Gazette. She also wrote for the Manchester Guardian for over thirty years.
Evelyn's work as a journalist made her see the problems faced by working-class women. This led her to join groups that helped women. She joined the Women's Industrial Council. She also joined the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies.
In 1906, the Manchester Guardian sent Evelyn to report on a speech. The speech was given by an actress named Elizabeth Robins. Evelyn was deeply moved by Robins' ideas. Robins spoke about taking strong action to get women the right to vote. After hearing her, Evelyn joined the Women's Social and Political Union. This group was known for its more active protests.
Fighting for Women's Rights
When Evelyn joined the WSPU, her mother was worried. Her mother made her promise not to do anything that would send her to prison. Evelyn kept this promise for five years.
She wrote about other suffragettes, like Elsie Howey. Elsie dressed as Joan of Arc and led a big march. Evelyn also became friends with other activists like Helen Millar Craggs.
In November 1911, Evelyn's mother told her she no longer had to keep her promise. Her mother understood how important the cause was to Evelyn. Soon after, Evelyn became very active in the protests. She was put in prison for fourteen days that same month.
Evelyn explained that her chance to act came during a protest in London. This protest happened because the government kept delaying a bill for women's voting rights. She was chosen to break government office windows. This was a new way of protesting for the group.
In 1912, Evelyn also helped the WSPU leaders. She carried a large sum of money for them. This was to prevent the money from being taken by the police.
Evelyn was also an active member of the Women Writers' Suffrage League. In 1913, the government passed a law called the Cat and Mouse Act. This law allowed them to release suffragette prisoners who went on hunger strike when they became very weak. Then, they could re-arrest them as soon as they got better.
Evelyn was chosen to represent the Women Writers' Suffrage League. She went to meet with a government official to talk about this law. However, the official refused to speak with them. When the women would not leave, Evelyn was arrested. She was sent to Holloway Prison.
In 1914, Evelyn helped start a new group called the United Suffragists. This group was open to both men and women. It brought together people from different women's suffrage groups.
During the First World War
When the First World War started, most people in the women's rights movement stopped their protests. They wanted to support their country during the war. However, Evelyn Sharp believed that getting women the right to vote was still very important. She continued her fight.
She refused to pay income tax as a protest. Because of this, she was arrested. All her belongings, even her typewriter, were taken away. Evelyn was also a pacifist, meaning she believed in peace and opposed war. She worked with the Women's International League for Peace during the war.
Evelyn later wrote about how women got the right to vote in 1918. She felt it was not just because of women's war service. She thought it was more because the government could no longer ignore the demand for women's votes. The war just gave them an excuse to finally agree.
During the war, the Votes for Women newspaper continued to be published. Evelyn made the paper appeal more to middle-class women. Its slogan became "The War Paper for Women." Even though she was against the war, she made sure the newspaper stayed neutral on the topic.
After the war, the Representation of the People Act 1918 gave some women the right to vote. The United Suffragists group, which published the newspaper, then closed down.
After the War and Later Life
After the war ended, Evelyn joined the Labour Party. She worked as a journalist for the Daily Herald. She also worked for the Society of Friends (Quakers) in Germany.
She wrote two books about the lives of working-class people. These were The London Child (1927) and The Child Grows Up (1929).
In 1933, Evelyn's friend Margaret Nevinson passed away. Soon after, Evelyn married Margaret's husband, Henry Nevinson. Evelyn was 63 and Henry was 77. They had been in love for many years.
Evelyn wrote her autobiography, called Unfinished Adventure, in 1933. An autobiography is a book about a person's own life.
Evelyn Sharp was also a member of the Women's World Committee Against War and Fascism. This group worked against war and fascism, which is a type of strict government. Other famous women like Vera Brittain were also in this group.
Evelyn Sharp died in London on June 17, 1955.
Quotations
- Reforms can always wait a little longer, but freedom, directly you discover you haven't got it, will not wait another minute.
Primary Sources
Evelyn Sharp's personal papers, including her diaries, are kept at the Bodleian Library.
See also
In Spanish: Evelyn Sharp (sufragista) para niños
