Author: ukvote100

House of Commons

Alice Cullen’s Election Victory of 1948

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Alice Cullen MP was elected for the Glasgow Gorbals constituency on the 30 September 1948, she continued to represent it until her death in 1969. Cullen joined the Independent Labour Party (ILP) in 1916 she was an active member becoming secretary of the local ward committee and a Glasgow town councillor in 1938. In 1948 George Buchanan MP for Gorbals resigned to become Chairman of the National Assistance Board. Cullen competed against three men to secure her nomination as the Labour candidate for the resulting by election. Prime Minster Clement Attlee sent a message of good wishes to Cullen and … Continue reading Alice Cullen’s Election Victory of 1948

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Exclusive: ‘Suffragette’ film review

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Mari Takayanagi, joint project manager and co-curator for Vote 100, saw an advance screening of ‘Suffragette’ and reviews it exclusively for UK Vote 100. ‘Suffragette’ is the story of Maud Watts (Carey Mulligan), a laundry worker in London’s East End, who gets sucked into the suffrage movement almost by accident and becomes one of its most militant campaigners. I found the story gripping, moving, sad and inspiring in turn. Maud’s work in the laundry is endless, grinding, exhausting and dangerous. Yet somehow none of this is as bad as the realisation, which gradually dawns on her and us throughout the … Continue reading Exclusive: ‘Suffragette’ film review

House of Commons

White gloves and hats: a woman Clerk in the House of Commons

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Clerks are the senior staff in many of the different offices in the House of Commons and House of Lords which support the work of the chamber and committees. During the Second World War, three women were appointed temporary Clerks in the House of Commons, in order to release men for war service, however by 1945 they had all departed. There were no more female Clerks until Jacqy Beston (now Jacqy Sharpe) and Alda Milner-Barry were appointed in 1969.  Jacqy Sharpe retired in 2015 after a long and successful career in the Clerk’s department, and shares her memories below. *** … Continue reading White gloves and hats: a woman Clerk in the House of Commons

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Almost 100 years since women got the right to vote…but are we using it?

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By Joanna Welham, Secretary to the Vote 100 project board 2018 will mark a centenary since women got the vote, and here in Parliament, we will be marking the occasion with the Vote 100 project – a four year programme of activities starting in 2015 and culminating with a major public exhibition in 2018 in Westminster Hall. With the centenary fast approaching, we thought it would be interesting to look at what proportion of women are choosing to exercise their right to vote. The issue of women voters was discussed in the press in the run-up to last month’s election, … Continue reading Almost 100 years since women got the right to vote…but are we using it?

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Happy International Women’s Day 2015

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Happy International Women’s Day!  We thought we’d kick off this blog properly today by letting you know about our exhibition, ‘Women in Parliament: Works from the Parliamentary Art Collection’.  It includes more than 80 works of art dating from 1784 to 2014 of women, and about women, in the House of Commons and House of Lords. It’s up in Portcullis House in Parliament from now until July 2015, and it’s the first exhibition associated with our Vote 100 project. Much more to come! We’ve also been busy this week with lots of other International Women’s Day events. On Wednesday we … Continue reading Happy International Women’s Day 2015