Inspired by the centenary celebrations of women over 30 years old winning the vote on 6 February 1918, we are planning to join the Devizes Carnival with a parade of “Votes for Women!” placards in September 2018. The banners, which will also echo today’s concerns like the #MeToo campaign, will be carried by people dressed in modern and historic costumes. We are delighted to confirm that our application for funding from the Women’s Vote Centenary Grant Scheme has been successful.

We are also appealing for local information to help build a better picture of how people in Devizes were involved in the campaign. A couple of fascinating stories have been discovered so far about the Suffragettes and Suffragists in Devizes but women’s history can sometimes become hidden.  We’d love to gather any surviving memories and information and see photos, posters or leaflets from Devizes that could help create a small archive of information for future use. We will be hosting our first drop in session on Saturday 10 March from 10am to 1pm for people to share information with us and chat about our findings.

For more information and to help with the project, please contact jane.schon@wiltshiremuseum.org.uk