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Petticoats and Petitions: How did women in Kirklees fight for equality?
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Four women dressed in early 20th-century clothing stand in a row outdoors. They wear long coats and hats, and one holds a small bell. Behind them is a wall covered in posters and advertisements. The image is in sepia tone. Add to board
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Women's Social and Political Union Postcard

A postcard from May 1908 shows members of the WSPU in Batley handing out leaflets for a protest meeting. Batley was a Liberal stronghold, and the WSPU aimed to pressure the Liberal government, which had not yet granted women the vote.

From left to right in the photo are Gertrude Ellen Brook, Adela Pankhurst, Patricia Woodlock (from Liverpool), and Mary Leigh (from Lancashire). Mary Leigh was one of the first women arrested for smashing windows as part of the WSPU’s militant campaign. She is holding an early copy of the WSPU’s newspaper, Votes for Women.

Image © Kirklees Museums and Galleries