For my dissertation I plan on researching women within politics in the 19th century, I have yet to decide the particular area I will be focusing on however I intend to explore women’s suffrage along-side women in politics before 1914.
Primary source’s
Anti- Suffrage badge, 1910-1918
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/C_1984-0558-1
The above source was taken from the British museum and can be seen as a badge of honour worn to those who opposed the suffragette campaign, this can be seen as an effective source as it highlights the way in which you were praised to supress the act for women’s political change.
Notes of the Week, Sunday, July 16, 1865, London, England
The above source can be seen to showcase the beginnings of discussion of both men and women having the opportunity to vote, however this was not immediate action it can be seen as a point to begin developing further.
https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw233665/Suffragettes-After-the-fight-four-unknown-women-and-three-unknown-Policemen
Suffragettes ‘After the fight’ (four unknown women and three unknown Policemen) by Central Press vintage print, circa 1914
The above primary source was taken from the national portrait gallery. This can be seen as a useful source as it highlights the ways in which the women’s suffragette movement encouraged many women fight for a worthy cause.
Secondary sources
Julia Bush (2002) British women’s anti-suffragism and the forward policy, 1908-14, Women’s History Review, 11:3, 431-454
In this article it focuses on the female leaders that were opposed to the women’s suffrage campaign, these women in which fought and contributed to the war efforts and were committed to social action against the suffragettes. This can be seen as useful as it provides a different perspective on women during this period of time and can be seen to show the controversy between women.
The Men’s Share? Masculinities, Male Support and Women’s Suffrage in Britain, 1890-1920 Claire Eustance, Prof Angela V John, Angela V. John 1997
This book shares the insights to the men behind the women, those who supported the change of women’s rights and the way in which they used their own power to take charge and pressure the government to enact change, focusing specifically on the men in which fought for change. As it is often seen women were at the frontline of women’s suffrage in the 19th century this can be seen as a useful insight into the men who stood by and broke through this change.
The March of the Women: A revisionist Analysis of the Campaign for Women’s Suffrage, 1866-1914, Martin Pugh, 2002
This book takes a different approach in regard to women’s suffrage and instead analysis the fact that women had won the argument for universal suffrage by 1900, this can be seen as the author draws towards the inadequate attempts of those who were anti-suffragist. This source also focuses on the support that the suffragists gathered support from the working class and the labour party.
You’ve identified some major texts within the historiographic debate – this might be a useful guide to the field (which is vast)
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09612025.2012.751768?journalCode=rwhr20
I think you need to focus on a period and even a location for your primary research – the issues in 1865 were very different to 1910 – then questions about education, legal status and morality were as important in the discourse as the vote itself – indeed many women argued that the local franchise was more significant than the national franchise – and this had been gained by 1900 for female ratepayers across UK.
Have a read of Ben Griffin’s work on the language of suffrage in order to try to help you focus a little more – https://discoverlibrary-stir-ac-uk.ezproxy-s2.stir.ac.uk/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2300343?lang=engn (chapter 7)