Elizabeth: the feisty feminist

Early women's rights and fighting for the vote, Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy led the way. Fifty percent of the population had no legal rights and belonged to their fathers and husbands when Elizabeth was born. British women were powerless, and domestic violence was legally acceptable.

How did all this change? Born in Manchester, Elizabeth saw women in dire poverty and her family were involved in radical politics. Dreaming of an education she hit a barrier: she was lucky to go to Fulneck Moravian School, while her brother went to University.

She turned such barriers into challenges and dedicated herself to many campaigns for equality, especially in education, marriage and politics. Elizabeth was a founder of the suffragist movement.

Frustration at years of failure to achieve the vote for women led her to speak passionately of militant action. She became an active suffragette, demonstrating shoulder to shoulder with the Pankhursts.