Women's Freedom League


Women's Freedom League

The initial headquarters of a key suffrage protest group.

Location: 1 Robert Street, Strand, WC2N 6RL

Description: The Women's Freedom League (WFL) was a suffragist and equal rights campaigning organisation that worked on the principles of passive resistance and non-violence.

It was established here in 1908 after a split in the Women's Social and Political Union and launched with their motto Dare to be Free.

Founding members included the first suffragette to go to prison Teresa Billington-Greig, Charlotte Despard, Edith How Martyn, Caroline Hodgson, Annie Cobden-Sanderson and Margaret Nevinson.

The WFL brought innovative methods to protest - at the opening of Parliament in January 1908, members tried to present a petition to the king, reviving a traditional way to voice grievances.

Later that year, three members protested in the Ladies Gallery in the House of Commons by chaining themselves to a metal grille protecting the MPs in the chamber.

They remained headquartered here, likely on the first floor, until June 1915 when they moved to 144 High Holborn.

A blue plaque was erected by English Heritage here in August 2023, and was the 1,000th plaque since the first in 1867.

Themes: JusticeJustice Theme  PoliticsPolitics Theme
Women's Freedom League

The initial headquarters of a key suffrage protest group.

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