Millicent Garrett Fawcett
Selected writings
Edited by Melissa Terras and Elizabeth Crawford
‘Courage calls to courage everywhere’ is the best-known phrase associated with Millicent Garrett Fawcett (1847-1929), the leading UK suffragist and campaigner of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But what is the source of her quote, and what is its context?
This book reproduces Fawcett’s essential speeches, pamphlets and newspaper columns to tell the story of her dynamic contribution to public life. Thirty-five texts and 22 images are contextualised and linked to contemporary news coverage as well as to historical and literary references. These speeches, articles, artworks and photographs cover both the advances and the defeats in the campaign for women’s votes. They also demonstrate a variety of the topics and causes Fawcett pursued: the provision of education for women; feminist history; a love of literature (and Fawcett’s own attempt at fiction); purity and temperance; the campaign against employment of children; the British Army’s approach to the South African War; the Unionist cause against Home Rule for Ireland; and the role of suffrage organisations during World War I. Here is a rich, intertextual web of literary works, preferred reading material, organisations, contacts, friends, and sometimes enemies, that reveals Fawcett the individual throughout 61 years of campaigning. The first scholarly appraisal of Fawcett in over 30 years, this is essential reading for those wishing to understand the varied political, social and cultural contributions of Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett.
Praise for Millicent Garrett Fawcett: Selected writings
'Millicent Fawcett’s influence in the suffrage movement is often overlooked in favour of the more radical suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst. Millicent was hugely important, concentrating on non violent rational persuasion. This book explains the work of this dogged suffragist.'
Dame Jenni Murray - former president Fawcett Society
'Millicent Garrett Fawcett: Selected writings invites the reader to delve into the life and passions of this great suffragist leader. Millicent Fawcett paved the way for women to take their place in public life, that’s why I’m so proud that in 2018, her sculpture was unveiled in London, becoming Parliament Square’s first-ever statue of a woman. The statue depicts Millicent holding a banner bearing the powerful quote, “Courage Calls to Courage Everywhere”. This book explores important aspects of the rich and too-often untold history of women’s rights, including the origins of that inspirational quote.'
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
'This is a vital collection of the vital speeches of a vital person. You need to read this to understand the history of Millicent Fawcett and if you don’t understand the history of Millicent Fawcett you don’t understand one of the most important developments in modern civilisation.'
Lord Daniel Finkelstein
'Millicent Fawcett is one of the pivotal voices in UK political history. Her work paved the way for every woman who has ever taken her place in a parliament anywhere on these islands. When any of us talk about standing on the shoulders of giants, Millicent Fawcett was that giant of female empowerment.'
Baroness Ruth Davidson
'Millicent Fawcett was one of the most influential figures of her age, yet history has tended to overlook her. Extraordinarily astute and forward-thinking, she inspired women to change their world by giving them a political voice, and the confidence to use it. Thanks to this collection, which is both scholarly and accessible, we can now hear her own voice as never before. She continues to inspire us to speak out on behalf of women's progress everywhere.'
Jane Robinson, Senior Associate, Somerville College, Oxford; author of Ladies Can't Climb Ladders: The Pioneering Adventures of the First Professional Women
'Terras and Crawford have brought together a powerful and accessible collection of contributions from Millicent Garrett Fawcett, whose speeches and writings gave a political voice to the women of her generation. This book allows us to follow the footsteps of a momentous - albeit often overlooked - suffragist, who blazed the trail we now walk'
Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland'
'There is much need among contemporary feminists for inspiration from this book’s evidence of the formidable fortitude, optimism, determination and generous spirit of activists like Millicent Garrett Fawcett. For students and scholars of English social and political life, the broader history of women’s rights globally or even those who simply wish to appreciate the pace of a different time, this book is a must read (and it is accessible as a free open access PDF!).'
LSE Review of Books
'Essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the British women’s suffrage movement and Millicent Garrett Fawcett’s enduring legacy.'
Women's History Review
'an ambitious endeavour'
The English Historical Review
Melissa Terras is Professor of Digital Cultural Heritage at
the University of Edinburgh‘s College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. Elizabeth Crawford is the author of a number of key works
about women's suffrage, including The Women’s Suffrage Movement: A reference
guide 1866–1928 and Enterprising Women: The Garretts and their circle.
List of figures
Foreword
Fiona Mactaggart (Chair, Fawcett Society)
Introduction
1. Picturing Fawcett: Millicent Garrett Fawcett with Henry Fawcett, 1868
2. The Education of Women of Middle and Upper Classes, 1868
3. Electoral Disabilities of Women, 1871
4. Picturing Fawcett: A meeting at the Hanover Square Rooms, 1872
5. Picturing Fawcett: Professor and Mrs Fawcett by Ford Madox Brown, 1872
6. Mrs Fawcett on Women’s Suffrage, 1872
7. Mr Fitzjames Stephen on the Position of Women, 1873
8. Picturing Fawcett: Millicent Fawcett’s Lecture at the Unitarian Church, Glasgow, 1875
9. Reporting Fawcett: The Women of Modern Fiction Lectures, 1874
10. Janet Doncaster, An Excerpt, 1875
11. Women and Representative Government, 1883
12. The Protection of Girls: Speech or Silence, 1885
13. Employment for Girls. The Civil Service (the Post Office), 1887
14. The Employment of Children in Theatres, 1889
15. Picturing Fawcett: Mrs Fawcett, 1890
16. Introduction to Wollstonecraft’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, 1891
17. Home and Politics, 1892
18. The Story of the Opening of University Education to Women, 1894
19. Reporting Fawcett: Women’s Suffrage, 1897
20. Picturing Fawcett: Millicent Fawcett by Theodore Blake Wirgman, 1898
21. Women’s Suffrage, Manchester, 1899
22. The White Slave Trade: Its Causes, and the Best Means of Preventing It, 1899
23. The Concentration Camps in South Africa, 1901
24. Why We Women Want Votes, 1906
25. The Prisoners of Hope in Holloway Gaol, 1906
26. Picturing Fawcett: NUWSS Procession, 1908
27. Picturing Fawcett: Millicent Fawcett, 1908
28. National Union Manifesto, 1908
29. Picturing Fawcett 9: A Woman Speaking at the Oxford Union for the First Time, 1908
30. Men are Men and Women are Women, 1909
31. Picturing Fawcett: International Woman Suffrage Alliance Congress, 1909
32. Picturing Fawcett: Mrs Henry Fawcett, LL.D. President of the National Union, 1909
33. Reporting Fawcett: Wanted: A Statesman, 1909
34. Picturing Fawcett: Dame Millicent Fawcett, C.B.E., LL.D. by Annie Louisa Swynnerton, c. 1910
35. Broken Windows - and After, 1912
36. Picturing Fawcett: Millicent Garrett Fawcett, 1912
37. Who’s For Us? For Him Are We, 1912
38. Picturing Fawcett: Millicent Fawcett's Hyde Park Address, 1913
39. To the Members of the National Union, 1914
40. Picturing Fawcett: Millicent Garrett Fawcett 1914
41. Life’s Cost, 1915
42. Lift Up Your Hearts, 1916
43. An Immense and Significant Advance, 1917
44. Sing, Rejoice and Give Thanks, 1918
45. Still In Thy Right Hand Carry Gentle Peace, 1918
46. Courage Calls to Courage Everywhere, 1920
47. Picturing Fawcett: Dame Millicent Fawcett, 1925
48. Picturing Fawcett: Dame Millicent Fawcett at NUSEC Garden Party, 1925
49. What the Vote has Done, 1926 and 1927
50. How University College, London Led the Way in the Education of Women, 1927.
51. The End Crowns All, And That Old Common Arbitrator Time, Will One day End It, 1928
52. Picturing Fawcett: Royal Assent to the Equal Franchise Act, 1928
53. Picturing Fawcett: Dame Millicent Fawcett at the Victory Breakfast, 1928
54. Picturing Fawcett: Millicent Garrett Fawcett, by Lionel Ellis, 1928
55. Can Women Influence International Policy? 1929
References
Appendix A: Additions to Fawcett’s Bibliography
'an ambitious endeavour'
The English Historical Review
'essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the British women’s suffrage movement and Millicent Garrett Fawcett’s enduring legacy.'
Women's History Review
'There is much need among contemporary feminists for inspiration from this book’s evidence of the formidable fortitude, optimism, determination and generous spirit of activists like Millicent Garrett Fawcett. For students and scholars of English social and political life, the broader history of women’s rights globally or even those who simply wish to appreciate the pace of a different time, this book is a must read (and it is accessible as a free open access PDF!).'
LSE Review of Books
'Terras and Crawford have brought together a powerful and accessible collection of contributions from Millicent Garrett Fawcett, whose speeches and writings gave a political voice to the women of her generation. This book allows us to follow the footsteps of a momentous - albeit often overlooked - suffragist, who blazed the trail we now walk'
Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland
'Millicent Garrett Fawcett: Selected writings invites the reader to delve into the life and passions of this great suffragist leader. Millicent Fawcett paved the way for women to take their place in public life, that’s why I’m so proud that in 2018, her sculpture was unveiled in London, becoming Parliament Square’s first-ever statue of a woman. The statue depicts Millicent holding a banner bearing the powerful quote, “Courage Calls to Courage Everywhere”. This book explores important aspects of the rich and too-often untold history of women’s rights, including the origins of that inspirational quote.'
Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London
'Millicent Fawcett was one of the most influential figures of her age, yet history has tended to overlook her. Extraordinarily astute and forward-thinking, she inspired women to change their world by giving them a political voice, and the confidence to use it. Thanks to this collection, which is both scholarly and accessible, we can now hear her own voice as never before. She continues to inspire us to speak out on behalf of women's progress everywhere.'
Jane Robinson, Senior Associate, Somerville College, Oxford; author of Ladies Can't Climb Ladders: The Pioneering Adventures of the First Professional Women
'Millicent Fawcett is one of the pivotal voices in UK political history. Her work paved the way for every woman who has ever taken her place in a parliament anywhere on these islands. When any of us talk about standing on the shoulders of giants, Millicent Fawcett was that giant of female empowerment.'
Baroness Ruth Davidson
'Millicent Fawcett’s influence in the suffrage movement is often overlooked in favour of the more radical suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst. Millicent was hugely important, concentrating on non violent rational persuasion. This book explains the work of this dogged suffragist.'
Dame Jenni Murray - former president Fawcett Society
'This is a vital collection of the vital speeches of a vital person. You need to read this to understand the history of Millicent Fawcett and if you don’t understand the history of Millicent Fawcett you don’t understand one of the most important developments in modern civilisation.'
Lord Daniel Finkelstein
Format: Open Access PDF
476 Pages
B&W photo/halftones and colour photo/halftones
Copyright: © 2022
ISBN: 9781787358638
Publication: June 09, 2022
Related products
Britain, France and the Decolonization of Africa
Looking at decolonization in the conditional tense, this volume teases out th...
