Sash, regalia

Suffragette regalia sash with purple, white and green bands, the tricolour of the Women's Social and Political Union. In the centre is woven in purple Votes for Women.
The regalia was first produced for Women's Sunday on 21st June 1908 but, on that occasion was worn only by the Suffragette leaders. From August 1908 the sash was available for sale to all Suffragettes and soon became an essential part of the 'suffragette' uniform'. The Votes for Women's newspaper urged suffragettes to wear the sash to all public events and gave instruction that 'the regalia will be worn over the right shoulder and will be fastened under the left arm'.
The purple, white and green colour scheme of the suffragettes was devised by Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence in 1908. She described the symbolism of the colours as follows: 'Purple as everyone knows is the royal colour. It stands for the royal blood that flows in the veins of every suffragette, the instinct of freedom and dignity...white stands for purity in private and public life...green is the colour of hope and the emblem of spring.'