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Underground passage to the House of Commons 1908
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Underground passage to the House of Commons 1908
The underground passage from Westminster Station to the House of Commons, a section of which was privatised for MPs, usually used in bad weather but increasingly as a way of avoiding suffragettes on the way to work. A policeman is shown guarding the entrance at Westminster Station to prevent any women from entering. Date: 1908
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Media ID 23268742
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Commons Enfranchisement Females Franchise Parliament Passage Passages Suffrage Suffragette Suffragettes Suffragist Suffragists Underground Universal Vote Votes Westminster Wspu
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This evocative photograph captures the tense atmosphere of the Underground passage from Westminster Station to the House of Commons in London during the height of the suffrage movement in 1908. The passage, a shortcut used by Members of Parliament (MPs) to bypass the crowded streets and inclement weather, had become a focal point of conflict between the suffragettes and the authorities. In the image, a determined-looking policeman stands guard at the entrance to the passage at Westminster Station, his stern gaze focused on preventing any women from entering. The suffragettes, led by organizations such as the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), had been staging protests and demonstrations outside the station, demanding the right to vote. The passage had become a strategic location for these protests, as MPs were easy targets for suffragettes seeking to draw attention to their cause. The passage was also significant because it represented a symbol of the deep divide between the sexes at a time when women's enfranchisement was still a contentious issue. The passage was privatized for MPs only, and the suffragettes saw it as yet another example of the unequal treatment of women in society. The passage's increasing use by MPs as a way to avoid the suffragettes on their way to work only added to the tension. This photograph is a powerful reminder of the intense political climate of the time, and the courage and determination of the suffragettes in their fight for women's suffrage. The struggle for universal suffrage would continue for several more years, with the Representation of the People Act finally granting some women the right to vote in 1918. Today, the passage remains an important part of London's political history, a testament to the perseverance and determination of those who fought for women's rights.
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