In 1910
there were 207 branches of the National Union of Women's Suffrage
Societies (NUWSS) in Britain. Membership of the NUWSS had grown from
13,429 in 1909 to 21,571 in 1910. However, it was not until July 1911
that Muriel, Countess de la Warr, Marie
Corbett and
Lilla Durham decided to form an East Grinstead Suffrage Society.
The first meeting was held at Queens Hall, East Grinstead, on 8th
July 1911. The main speaker was Lady Frances Balfour, President of
the London Society of the NUWSS. It was decided that Muriel, Countess
de la Warr should become President of the East Grinstead Suffrage
Society. Other supporters of the society included Countess de la Warr's
sister, Helen Brassey, Idina Sackville, Margery
Corbett-Ashby,
Cicely
Corbett-Fisher,
Edith Fox Pitt, Jane Buckley, Florence Buckley and Helen Hoare.
(1)
Margery Corbett Ashby joined the National Union of Women’s Suffrage
Societies when she was studying at Newnham College, Cambridge.
I was deeply interested
in the work of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies
and so I decided to take a job with the organisation. I became editor
of the NUWSS’s newspaper, The Women’s Franchise, and I learned
by experience how to select, produce and edit material… I also
organised petitions, deputations and processions.
(2)
In 8th September 1912 The East Grinstead Observer
reported a meeting of the local suffrage society.
Lady Helen Brassey and
Lady Idina Sackville were the hostesses. Mrs. Uniacke said that surely
no one can be satisfied with the world around us today. A great deal
wants doing. Women want the right to influence public morals. They
understand the difficulty of rearing children with healthy minds and
bodies. Men now decide at what trades women shall work. Why cannot
women decide?
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