Born in Aldeburgh on the 11th of June, 1847, Millicent Fawcett would become one of the most influential voices in the British Suffrage movement. Fawcett was a political activist and leader, and wrote for several influential feminist publications. Fawcett was a dedicated suffragist, and was an important figure in the conflict between suffragettes and suffragists. She served on the Central Committee of the National Society for Women’s Suffrage, and led the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies for over 20 years. Over the course of her tenure she advocated for the education of young women, organized marches, participated in fundraisers, coordinated boycotts of political figures, and penned dozens of articles on women's issues.
The first three articles are Fawcett's own writing. They predate Fawcett's involvement with NUWSS, but establish her opinions on women's rights quite effectively. The first advocates for the practical education of young middle class women. The second lays out the need for suffrage, and explains why parliament should pass a bill allowing the vote for women. The work does illustrate some of Fawcett’s suffragist tendencies as well, maintaining a focus on working with Parliament, and persuading ministers to support the cause of women. The third advocates for equal proportional representation of women in government. The final piece is not Fawcett's writing, but comes from an Oxford biography. It corroborates the person details I included above, and adds a few other salient facts.
