Civic Society plaque to women's suffrage movement unveiled in Scarborough

A new plaque is unveiled to commemorate the WSPU on a property situated on St Nicholas Cliff

The exterior shopfront at 33 St Nicholas Cliff has remained structurally much the same since its use as a base for the Scarborough branch of a leading women’s suffrage organisation, just prior to the First World War.

Between 1912-14, The Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) sold merchandise from these premises, with the building also used for both meetings and the organising of campaign fundraising.

Commemorating this part of the town’s less well-known early 20th century social history, saw the recent unveiling of the first of two blue plaques by the Scarborough and District Civic Society.

Staged to coincide with International Women’s Day on March 8, the well-attended event was led by Adrian Perry, President of the Civic Society, Dr. Kirsty Ryder of the University of York and Councillor Janet Jefferson,

Dr Kirsty Ryder speaks to gathered guests

Scarborough’s Deputy Charter Mayor.

The site is currently the North Yorks Art School shop, the proprietors of which have accordingly organised an exhibition titled ‘The Suffragettes Were Here’.

Established in 1903, the WSPU was founded by Emmeline Pankhurst as a women-only militant political movement who gained a particular reputation for civil disobedience and direct action.

The term “suffragette”, derived from suffragist (a person advocating for voting rights) was first used in 1906 as a form of disparagement towards the group by journalist Charles E. Hands in the Daily Mail.

Deputy Charter Mayor Janet Jefferson talks to gathered guests

The intended insult, embraced by the activists as a badge of honour was then adopted for the title of a WSPU newspaper.

The initiative for the two related historical plaques came from Dr. Ryder who was then a PhD candidate researching the Materiality of the Women’s Suffrage Movement.

“During my PhD research (Department of Archaeology, University of York), I learned that Scarborough held a significant, yet quite unacknowledged role in the women’s suffrage movement, with a strong WSPU presence made up of dedicated local suffragettes and regular visits by other speakers and campaigners, often as part of the WSPU’s ‘holiday campaign.’

Dr. Ryder secured funding from White Rose College of the Arts and Humanities to begin work on a ‘Knowledge Exchange Project’ with Scarborough and District Civic Society to assist the town to better recognise and celebrate its suffrage history.

Cllr Janet Jefferson and Dr Kirsty Ryder at the unveiling

She further stated: “I researched mentions of Scarborough throughout suffrage periodicals such as Votes For Women, The Suffragette and The Common Cause and presented my findings to the Society, before giving a talk hosted by Scarborough Library last summer (2023).

“It has been a pleasure to work on this project, and I hope the insights I provided, particularly on the brilliant lesser-known local campaigners such as Dr. Marion Mackenzie, Miss Ada Suffield and Miss Nora Vickerman will be further utilised by Scarborough and District Civic Society in meaningful ways.”

The Civic Society have assigned a second blue plaque to commemorate the notable Scarborough-born suffragist Florence Balgarnie (1856-1928), which is scheduled to be installed later this year.

The North Yorks Art School suffrage exhibition at St. Nicholas Cliff is open on Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 3pm until April 6.