Vita Scakvill-West, Virginia Woolf, Lily Elsie, Lucile, Lady Duff Gordon, Mata Hari, Brigit Bardot

Go to the ARTICLES page on this site to read about some of the women portrayed in this collection.

In England, the 20th Century began with women not able to vote. Generally, only poorer women worked and those who did, worked for far less pay than their men counterparts.

Many middle and upper class women had servants. 

Upper class women dressed in the finest clothes and enormous hats were the fashion. One designer, Lucile, Lady Duff Gordon, designed the clothes for the musical "The Merry Widow". For its star, Lily Elsie, she designed a huge hat. 

As you are aware, Cressida portrays 20th century woman for this collection. Here she is playing the part of Lily Elsie for this poster. 

But changes for women were afoot.Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters led the movement for emancipation for women.

Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928) was a leading British women’s advocate to win the right for women to vote. She helped found the Women’s Social and Political Union in 1903. The members were the first to be christened “suffragettes”. They gained notoriety for their militant activities and in 1918 (due largely to women’s efforts during World War I) women over the age of 30 were given voting rights. Shortly after Emmeline died, women over the age of 21 were granted equal voting rights with men.  

"Lesbian Love"

"POLLY"

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