We’ve got an image of the Suffragette – a feisty well-dressed woman wearing a sash, perhaps having just chained herself to some railings. Suffragettes are the acceptable face of direct action, chained to railings and breaking windows.
From Margaret Thatcher to Tony Benn, everyone cites them as a thoroughly good thing. This might explain why we don’t know about the suffragette who was suspected of hatching a plot in 1909 to shoot the Prime Minster, Asquith, in the name of women’s suffrage. Nor do we know about the women who carried out widespread arson attacks when it seemed that the less menacing tactics would never work.
In the 1920s, some Suffragettes began to write the movements’ history, and they failed to acknowledge the bits that didn’t fit their view of what the movement should have been like. Out went alliances with the working class, and opposition to war. Out went violence.
For forty years this simplified image ruled unchallenged: only in the last few years have historians begun to uncover and expose the true complexity of the Suffragettes.
First broadcast: Monday 16 May 2005 on BBC Radio 4
The Things We Forgot To Remember in more depth:
-
OU on the BBC: The Things We Forgot To Remember - About the series
This isn't revisionist history - it's restorative history. Find out more about the series.
Read nowOU on the BBC: The Things We Forgot To Remember - About the seriesLevel: 1 Introductory
-
The Things We Forgot To Remember - Jack the Ripper
To what extent did Jack The Ripper mask more pressing fears of revolution in Victorian England? Michael Portillo investigates as part of the BBC/OU series 'The Things We Forgot to Remember'
Read nowThe Things We Forgot To Remember - Jack the RipperLevel: 1 Introductory
-
The Things We Forgot To Remember - Magna Carta
Michael Portillo and The Things We Forget To Remember reassess the Magna Carta.
Read nowThe Things We Forgot To Remember - Magna CartaLevel: 1 Introductory
-
The Things We Forgot To Remember - The 1945 Labour Government
The Things We Forgot To Remember considers the popular view of the 1945 Labour Government.
Read nowThe Things We Forgot To Remember - The 1945 Labour GovernmentLevel: 1 Introductory
-
The Things We Forgot To Remember - The Armada
We ask whether Francis Drake's victory over the Spanish was as definitve as we might think, as part of the BBC/OU series 'The Things We Forgot to Remember'
Read nowThe Things We Forgot To Remember - The ArmadaLevel: 1 Introductory
-
The Things We Forgot To Remember - The Battle of Britain
A look at the pivotal moments of the Second World War, from the BBC/OU series 'The Things We Forgot to Remember'
Read nowThe Things We Forgot To Remember - The Battle of BritainLevel: 1 Introductory
-
The Things We Forgot To Remember - The Battle of Trafalgar
Michael Portillo asks whether there's another story to the Battle of Trafalgar
Read nowThe Things We Forgot To Remember - The Battle of TrafalgarLevel: 1 Introductory
-
The Things We Forgot To Remember - The Bengal Famine
Why did Bengal starve during the Second World War? Michael Portillo investigates for the BBC/OU series The Things We Forgot to Remember
Read nowThe Things We Forgot To Remember - The Bengal FamineLevel: 1 Introductory
-
The Things We Forgot To Remember - The Darien gap
Michael Portillo unravels the financial crisis that ended in an Act Of Union, as part of the BBC/OU series 'The Things We Forgot to Remember'
Read nowThe Things We Forgot To Remember - The Darien gapLevel: 1 Introductory
-
The Things We Forgot To Remember - The French Revolution
A look at the real story of the French Revolution, from the BBC/OU series 'The Things We Forgot to Remember'
Read nowThe Things We Forgot To Remember - The French RevolutionLevel: 1 Introductory
-
The Things We Forgot To Remember - The Space Race
We ask whether Apollo 8 was more significant than Apollo 11 in establishing American dominance in space, as part of the BBC/OU series 'The Things We Forgot to Remember'
Read nowThe Things We Forgot To Remember - The Space RaceLevel: 1 Introductory
-
The Things We Forgot To Remember - World War One
As part of the Things We Forgot To Remember series, Michael Portillo investigated why we only think of slaughter and loss when we recall the Great War
Read nowThe Things We Forgot To Remember - World War OneLevel: 1 Introductory
-
OU on the BBC: The Things We Forgot To Remember - Presenter's perspective
As he moves his focus from current affairs to history, Michael Portillo considers the way our collective memory lets facts slip from its grasp.
Read nowOU on the BBC: The Things We Forgot To Remember - Presenter's perspectiveLevel: 1 Introductory
-
OU on the BBC: The Things We Forgot To Remember - The making of the series
How do you know what we hear about in the news is a true interpretation of events? How can you be sure? If the present can be open to interpretation, then is the same true of historical events? Find out about the thinking behind The Things We Forgot To Remember radio programmes from the producer in the making of the series.
Read nowOU on the BBC: The Things We Forgot To Remember - The making of the seriesLevel: 1 Introductory
Be the first to post a comment
We invite you to discuss this subject, but remember this is a public forum.
Please be polite, and avoid your passions turning into contempt for others. We may delete posts that are rude or aggressive; or edit posts containing contact details or links to other websites.