The National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS), also known as the Suffragists (not to be confused with the suffragettes) was an organisation of women's suffrage societies in the United Kingdom. Suffragette with banner, Washington DC, 1918 The title of suffragette was given to members of the womens suffrage movement in the United Kingdom. ... Suffrage parade, New York City, 1912 The movement for womens suffrage, led by suffragists (peaceful protestors) and suffragettes (violent protestors), was a social, economic and political reform movement aimed at extending the suffrage (the right to vote) to women, advocating equal suffrage (abolition of graded votes) rather than universal...

Formation and campaigning

The group was founded in 1897 after the merger of two smaller groups merged, these were the 'National Central Society for Women's Suffrage' and the 'Central Committee, National Society for Women's Suffrage' which had originally splitted in 1888. 1897 (MDCCCXCVII) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1888 (MDCCCLXXXVIII) is a leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. ...

Fawcett was the president of the society for over twenty years. The organisation was democratic, aiming to achieve women's suffrage through peaceful and legal means, in particular by introducing Parliamentary Bills and holding meetings to explain and promote their aims.

In 1906 as there was to be a General Election that year the group formed a committee in every single constituency to persuade local parties to select pro-suffrage candidates. 1906 (MCMVI) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... A general election is an election in which all members of a given political body are up for election. ...

Split

In 1903, NUWSS suffered the split of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU, the "suffragettes"), who wished to undertake more militant action. Nevertheless, the group continued to grow, and by 1914 there were in excess of 400 branches throughout the country, with over 100,000 members. Many of the members were middle class, but by no means all of them, with some working class members. There were also some male members (forbidden in the suffragettes). 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Womens Social and Political Union (WSPU) was the leading organisation campaigning for womens suffrage in the United Kingdom. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... The middle class (or middle classes) comprises a social group once defined by exception as an intermediate social class between the nobility and the peasantry. ... The term working class is used to denote a social class. ...

NUWSS during World War I

The NUWSS were split between those that supported war and those opposed. During the war the group set up a employment register so that the jobs of those who were serving could be filled. The NUWSS also financed women's hospital units, these employed only female doctors and nurses. Such groups served duing World War I in France . ‹ The template below has been proposed for deletion. ...