National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies facts for kids

A poster from the NUWSS, asking for votes for women.

The National Union of Women Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) was a large group in the United Kingdom. It was started in 1897. This group worked to get women the right to vote. They were also called the suffragists. Don't mix them up with the suffragettes, who used different methods. In 1919, the group changed its name to the National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship.

How the NUWSS Started and Campaigned

Millicent Fawcett, a key leader of the NUWSS.

The NUWSS was formed in 1897. It brought together two older groups that had split up earlier. These groups joined to become one strong organisation.

A large meeting held by the NUWSS in 1907.

The new group was led by Millicent Fawcett. She was the president for over 20 years. The NUWSS believed in peaceful and legal ways to get women the vote. They tried to pass laws in Parliament. They also held many meetings to share their ideas.

In 1903, another group called the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was formed. These were the "suffragettes." They wanted to use more direct and sometimes forceful actions. But the NUWSS kept growing. By 1914, it had over 500 local groups. More than 100,000 people were members. They spent a lot of money on meetings and spreading their message.

Many members were from the middle class. But some working-class people also joined.

For the 1906 election, the NUWSS worked hard. They asked local political parties to choose candidates who supported women's votes.

The NUWSS held its first big outdoor march on February 9, 1907. It became known as the Mud March.

Millicent Fawcett once said in 1911 that their movement was "like a glacier." She meant it moved slowly but could not be stopped.

NUWSS and Political Parties

Before 1912, the NUWSS did not support any single political party. They supported any candidate who wanted women to vote.

Why the NUWSS Changed Its Political Stance

A proposed law in Parliament, the Conciliation Bill of 1911, changed things. This bill would have given some women the right to vote. Most politicians supported it. But it did not pass because there was not enough time to discuss it. The government focused on other laws instead. This made the NUWSS leaders, especially Millicent Fawcett, very upset with the Liberal party.

The Labour party, which was newer, had mixed feelings about women's votes at first. But after the NUWSS campaigned in northern England, Labour's view changed. By 1913, the Labour party agreed to support women's suffrage. They said they would not support any voting law that did not include women.

Millicent Fawcett, who was a Liberal herself, became angry with the Liberal party's delays. She started helping Labour candidates win elections.

The Election Fighting Fund

In 1912, the NUWSS created the Election Fighting Fund (EFF). Catherine Marshall led this committee. The EFF supported Labour candidates. In 1913 and 1914, the EFF helped in four special elections. Labour did not win these elections. But the Liberal party lost two of them.

By working with Labour, the NUWSS hoped to pressure the Liberal party. They knew the Liberals needed Labour to stay weak to keep their power.

NUWSS During World War I

When World War I started, the NUWSS had different opinions. Most members supported the war. A smaller group was against it.

During the war, the NUWSS helped out. They created a list of jobs. This helped women find work to fill roles left by men fighting in the war. The NUWSS also paid for women's hospitals. These hospitals only had female doctors and nurses. They helped soldiers in France, like the Scottish Women's Hospitals for Foreign Service (SWH).

The NUWSS supported a new voting law discussed during the war. This law did not give all women equal voting rights right away. But the NUWSS still supported it as a good first step.

Activities After World War I

Members of the National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship in 1928, after all women over 21 gained the right to vote.

In 1919, the NUWSS changed its name. It became the National Union of Societies for Equal Citizenship. Eleanor Rathbone became its new leader. This group kept working for equal voting rights for women. They achieved this goal in 1928.

After 1928, the group split into two new organisations. One was the National Council for Equal Citizenship. This group worked on other equal rights issues for a short time. The other was the Union of Townswomen's Guilds. This group focused on education and support for women.

Notable members of NUWSS

Archives

You can find old papers and records of the NUWSS at The Women's Library. This library is part of the London School of Economics. Another collection of NUWSS materials is at the John Rylands Library in Manchester.

Commemoration

In 2022, a special blue plaque was announced for the NUWSS. This plaque will be placed at their old headquarters in Westminster. It will remember their work before the Representation of the People Act 1918 was passed. This act gave many women the right to vote.

See also

In Spanish: Unión Nacional de Sociedades de Sufragio Femenino para niños

• Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom
• The Women's Library (London) – This library has many records about women's right to vote.
• List of suffragists and suffragettes
• List of women's rights activists
• List of women's rights organisations
• Timeline of women's suffrage
• Women's suffrage organisations
• Liverpool Women's Suffrage Society