Accessibility Links

The official website for BBC History Magazine and BBC World Histories Magazine

Menu
Home
Period
20th Century
Anti-Suffragette postcards

Anti-Suffragette postcards

In our August 2012 issue, June Purvis, professor of women’s and gender history at the University of Portsmouth, explores the market for anti-Suffragette postcards in the early 20th century. Here is a taste of what readers can expect

An example of an anti-Suffragette postcard from the early 20th century.

As the women’s suffrage movement gained momentum in the early 20th century, the picture postcard industry was utilised to denigrate women fighting for the vote.

Advertisement

In a feature published in our August 2012 issue, June Purvis, professor of women’s and gender history at the University of Portsmouth and editor of the journal Women’s History Review, explores the stories behinds some of the anti-Suffragette postcards of the time.

You can hear more from June Purvis on this week’s podcast. Visit www.historyextra.com/podcasts for more information.

Advertisement

(All images © June Purvis)

An example of an anti-Suffragette postcard from the early 20th century.
Christabel Pankhurst was regarded by many as the driving force behind the WSPU. Sometimes she would be portrayed as a cuddly teddy bear or, as in this example, a silly goose leading other silly geese in the “Goose’s Social and Political Union”.
An example of an anti-Suffragette postcard from the early 20th century.
From the end of September 1909, forcible feeding was the common practice of dealing with hunger-striking suffragettes who were protesting against the government’s refusal to recognise them as political offenders. Some commercial publishers considered it a suitable subject for a comic postcard, seen here.
An example of an anti-Suffragette postcard from the early 20th century.
Anti-suffrage postcards of the era frequently predicted chaos if women got the vote. In particular, it was feared that the logical outcome of women’s enfranchisement would be women MPs in parliament, upsetting the traditions and order of that male sphere.
An example of an anti-Suffragette postcard from the early 20th century.
An example of an anti-Suffragette postcard from the early 20th century.
Married suffragists did not escape the gaze of the postcard publishers either and were commonly depicted as domineering, nagging wives as in ‘Taking It Out on Hubby’.

Tags

Britains Best Selling History Magazine

Subscribe to BBC History Magazine today

Subscribe Now
Subscribe to BBC World Histories Magazine

Subscribe to BBC World Histories Magazine today

Subscribe Now

More on: United Kingdom

A portrait of Samuel Pepys
Learn more about this subject

You may like

A poster showing an image from the history of drinking
Georgian

The strange history of drinking

Photograph of two men pulling a mobile disinfection unit.
Victorian

The filthy reality of everyday life

A 1970s evening dress. (© National Museums Liverpool)
20th Century

100 Years of Women’s Fashion

Trees and snow. Photo taken by British photographer Chloe Dewe Mathews as part of her series focussing on the locations at which individuals were shot during the First World War.
First World War

Shot at dawn: the First World War soldiers executed for desertion and cowardice

We use cookies to improve your experience of our website. Read more