Postcard, photographic postcard

Postcard with photograph of Women's Social and Political Union members standing by a barrel organ. A placard reads 'Votes For Women Self Denial Week Help The Women in their Demand for Justice'. Handwritten on the back of the card is 'Mary Allen, Elsie Howey, Mrs (Lillian) Dove-Wilcox, Self Denial Week, Bristol. Just the week King Edward died'.
This photograph also appears in the 13 May 1910 edition of 'Votes For Women', the WSPU's weekly newspaper. It is captioned: 'Bristol Members with the Barrel Organ which they took round the town morning and afternoon during Self-Denial week, The members are (Reading from left to right) Miss Edith West, Miss Mary Allen, Miss Staniland, Miss Elsie Howey, and Mrs. Dove-Wilcox.'
Mary Allen and Lillian Dove-Wilcox were Organisers for the West of England branch of the WSPU based in Bristol. Elsie Howey was an Organiser in Paignton and Torquay. Self-Denial Week was the brainchild of Emmeline Pethick Lawrence, the WSPU treasurer. Women who took part in this annual event denied purchasing 'luxuries' for a week and donated money saved by this self-denial to the WSPU 'war chest'.