BFI

Despite the title this is in fact a rally by the suffragists of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, not the suffragettes, who were represented by the Women's Social and Political Union - although the two groups were in temporary alliance with the suspension of militant and illegal activities by the WSPU.

The occasion was the presenting of petitions of the names of men from every parliamentary constituency in support of the campaign for Votes for Women. The use of the term suffragettes was probably quite deliberate on the part of the newsreel producers, who had a tendency to over sensationalise their activities. In general the, newsreel cameramen were happy to cover the major events organised by the NUWSS, even paying for the best vantage points or access to the speaking platforms on occasion.

Bryony Dixon

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