Banner, suffrage banner

This banner was designed by Mary Lowndes as part of her Famous Women series of banners for the highly choroegraphed procession through London organised by the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies on 13th June 1908. Carried by Maud Arncliffe-Sennett it was one of 800 banners to take part in the march through central London to a rally in the Albert Hall in support of 'votes for women'.
The banner commemorates Queen Victoria's dual role as Mother and Monarch that, to suffrage campaigners, proved women could effectively combine their traditional domestic role with a high profile career and significant role in the public and political life of the country. This interpretation challenged the separate spheres argument that a stable society was dependent on men and women playing very distinct roles with women focused solely on the family and personal life while men concentrated on running the country.