Actresses' Franchise League

Connections

Connections Author name Sort ascending Excerpt
politics Ella Wheeler Wilcox
EWW set out with conservative views on the Woman Question, though her early experience on a western farm meant that she took it for granted that women would be active and self-reliant. Her gender...
Textual Production Christopher St John
It was part of a triple bill with Cicely Hamilton 's Jack and Jill and a Friend and Margaret Wynne Nevinson 's In the Workhouse. Another performance, again directed by Edith Craig, was staged...
politics Christopher St John
She was arrested in 1909 for setting a pillar box on fire. She worked for the Women's Social and Political Union , the Writers' Franchise League (which she helped found), the Catholic Women's Suffrage Society
Textual Production Githa Sowerby
It had gone into rehearsal shortly before the end of 1911.
Riley, Patricia. Looking for Githa. New Writing North.
46
Several of the women who acted in this production were members of the Actresses' Franchise League . One of the principal actors, GS
Reception George Paston
During the war this play became popular with British troops through the auspices of Woman's Theatre Camp Entertainments , an organization formed by Inez Bensusan after the demise of Actresses' Franchise League .
Hirshfield, Claire. “The Woman’s Theatre in England: 1913-1918”. Theatre History Studies, Vol.
15
, pp. 123-37.
131
Performance of text George Paston
The play was performed alongside Cicely Hamilton 's Pageant of Great Women as part of a fundraising event organised by Inez Bensusan on behalf of the Actresses' Franchise League and the Women Writers' Suffrage League
Occupation Naomi Jacob
The Women's Emergency Corps was founded by a group of women, including actresses Eva and Decima Moore and (according to Jacob) Gertrude Kingston . Jacob's fellow volunteers there included Stella Benson and Viola Meynell ....
Reception Henrik Ibsen
Like Nora, Hedda Gabler became a feminist icon. At the Coronation Suffrage Pageant, the spectacular suffrage event of 17 June 1911, the contingent from the Actresses' Franchise League was led by an actress on horseback...
Performance of text Cicely Hamilton
CH 's performance piece known as The Anti-Suffrage Waxworks was taken on tour by Edith Craig for the Actresses' Franchise League .
Demastes, William W., and Katherine E. Kelly, editors. British Playwrights, 1880-1956. Greenwood Press.
193
Cockin, Katharine. Edith Craig (1869-1947): Dramatic Lives. Cassell.
100
politics Cicely Hamilton
CH was an active member of several suffrage organizations, always aligning herself with the non-militant suffragists. She first belonged to the Women's Social and Political Union , but in 1907 she left to join the...
Performance of text Cicely Hamilton
Later that year it toured provincial suffrage societies for the Actresses' Franchise League , under the direction of Edith Craig . It eventually became a staple piece for Craig's Pioneer Players .
Performance of text Cicely Hamilton
An earlier version involving tableaux had been given at Caxton Hall in February this year. The Scala production was sponsored by the Actresses' Franchise League . The cast included Ellen Terry , Lillah McCarthy ,...
Performance of text Evelyn Glover
The Actresses' Franchise League produced Mrs. Appleyard's Awakening, a one-act play by EG in which an Anti-Suffrage Society campaigner accidentally converts her canvassee to the suffrage cause.
EG uses both Miss Appleyard and Mrs...
Publishing Evelyn Glover
The production was part of the Coronation Week festivities: earlier that week, on 17 June, many women's suffrage societies joined forces for an enormous Women's Coronation Procession.
“The Times Digital Archive 1785-2007”. Thompson Gale: The Times Digital Archive.
(19 June 1911): 34
Miss Appleyard's Awakening...
Publishing Evelyn Glover
The play's vivid characters and snappy dialogue, alongside its minimal staging requirements, made it one of the most popular plays in the AFL's suffrage repertoire.
Holledge, Julie. Innocent Flowers: Women in the Edwardian Theatre. Virago.
88
That year, the Connoisseurs theatre group mounted a production...

Timeline

10 December 1908: The inaugural meeting of the Actresses' Franchise...

National or international item

10 December 1908

The inaugural meeting of the Actresses' Franchise League was held at the Criterion Restaurant in London.

May 1909: Gertrude Jennings's one-act suffrage play...

Women writers item

May 1909

Gertrude Jennings 's one-act suffrage playA Woman's Influence was performed at the Votes for Women Exhibition at the Prince's Skating Rink in Knightsbridge.

By 27 February 1911: The secretary of the Actresses' Franchise...

Building item

By 27 February 1911

The secretary of the Actresses' Franchise League organised a feminist production of Wilde 's Salome (reviewed on this date).

From November 1914: The Actresses' Franchise League, led by Lena...

Building item

From November 1914

The Actresses' Franchise League , led by Lena Ashwell , organised entertainment for troops, first at English army bases and later in France; these eventually became known as Concerts at the Front.

Early 1915: Lena Ashwell used her Actresses' Franchise...

Women writers item

Early 1915

Lena Ashwell used her Actresses' Franchise League connections to recruit the popular farce writer, Gertrude Jennings , to write plays for Concerts at the Front.

2 February 1927: Margaret Rhondda, as Chairman of the Equal...

National or international item

2 February 1927

Margaret Rhondda , as Chairman of the Equal Political Rights Campaign Committee , with many other suffrage veterans, signed a letter to the editor of The Times pressing for women to vote on equal terms with men.

Texts

Bensusan, Inez. The Apple. Actresses’ Franchise League, 1912.
Glover, Evelyn. A Chat with Mrs. Chicky. Actresses’ Franchise League, 1912.
Glover, Evelyn. Miss Appleyard’s Awakening. Actresses’ Franchise League, 1912.