The Great Miss Lydia Becker: Suffragist, Scientist and Trailblazer

In 1868, a legal loophole allowed 1,000 women to vote in the general election, thanks to the efforts of Lydia Becker, the unofficial leader of the women's suffrage movement in the late 19th century. She fought for women's rights, education, and workplace equality, and influenced MPs to support women's suffrage. Her legacy continued with Emmeline Pankhurst and Millicent Fawcett.

Format: Hardback
Publication date: 14 January 2022
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd

Fifty years before women were enfranchised, a remarkable legal loophole allowed a thousand women to vote in the general election of 1868. This surprising event was the result of the unwavering and determined efforts of Lydia Becker, the acknowledged, though unofficial, leader of the women's suffrage movement in the later 19th century. Born into a middle-class family as the eldest of fifteen children, Becker defied convention by remaining single and entering the realm of politics. Despite the societal stigma against women speaking in public, Lydia addressed countless audiences, covering topics such as women's votes, the position of wives, female education, and workplace rights. She tirelessly fought for the academic education of poor girls and kept her supporters, both in Britain and abroad, informed about the various campaigns for women's rights through her publication, the Women's Suffrage Journal. With unwavering determination, Becker became the chief lobbyist for women, influencing Members of Parliament in ways that few women and even fewer men had accomplished before. In the 1860s, the notion of women's suffrage was met with scorn and mockery in the Commons, likened to persuading dogs to dance. However, as time passed, attitudes began to shift, and by the time of Lydia's passing in 1890, there was a growing acceptance that women's enfranchisement was imminent. The torch was passed on to Emmeline Pankhurst, a woman whom Becker had inspired as a teenager, and Millicent Fawcett, a younger colleague on the London committee. From that moment onward, history unfolded in a remarkable way, marking a significant milestone in the fight for gender equality.

Weight: 696g
Dimension: 165 x 241 x 37 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781399014809