Suffragette Procession 1911

Suffragette Procession 1911. This photographic postcard shows the Prisoners' Pageant section of the Women's Coronation Procession of Saturday 17 June 1911. Lawrence Housman designed the 'From Prison to Citizenship' banner in 1908 for the Kensington branch of the Women's Social and Political Union (W.S.P.U.). The Prisoners' Pageant marched immediately behind the suffragette leaders and in front of the historical pageant of women. This spectacular procession, organised by the W.S.P.U, took place one week before the coronation of the new king, George V. The organisers hoped this display of patriotism would encourage the new king to support the proposed Conciliation Bill. This bill would have given the vote to women who were responsible for the premises they occupied, but it failed to get through parliament and the king made it quite clear he had no sympathy for the suffragette demands.