Votes for Women Souvenir & Official Programme

Souvenir paper table napkin printed with a programme for the Votes for Women demonstration held at Hyde Park on Mrs Pankhurst's birthday, 14 July 1912. The napkin lists the platform speakers and includes portrait images of the leading suffragettes. The floral border is coloured in the purple and green colour scheme associated with the Women's Social and Political Union who organised the event.

Souvenir napkins or 'handkerchiefs' were printed for every large public event, ceremony or procession that occured in London from the early to mid 20th century. The squares were imported into London from Japan pre-printed with a decorative border in up to 5 colours and a blank central area. S. Burgess was one of the main printers of such napkins. They would have been sold for about 1 penny by street traders lining the route of the event.

The fact that such napkins were produced as souvenirs for all the major suffragette processions indicates that these were high profile spectacular events that attracted huge crowds and had a major impact on London life during this period.