Activities of the Women’s Tax Resistance League

The Vote

From the issue of The Vote:

Tax Resistance.

The sales last week were as follows:—

At Hammersmith, furniture was sold, the property of Miss Carson. Open-air meeting. Speakers: Mrs. Armstrong, Mrs. Merrivale Mayer, Mrs. [Margaret] Kineton Parkes.

At Kilburn, a bookcase was sold, the property of Miss Green, Hon. Treas. W.T.R.L. Procession and open-air meeting. Speakers: Dr. [Helen] Hanson, Mrs. [Anne] Cobden Sanderson, Mrs. [Emily] Juson Kerr, Mrs. Kineton Parkes.

At Mile End, a gold watch was sold, the property of Dr. Elizabeth Wilks. Procession from Aldgate Station to open-air meeting. Speakers: Mrs. [Charlotte] Despard, Mrs. Cobden Sanderson, Mrs. Kineton Parkes.

Brighton. Goods belonging to Mrs. Gerlach and Miss [Mary] Hare were sold. Open-air meeting and public meeting in Lecture Hall at night. Speakers: Mrs. [Caroline] Louis Fagan, Miss Gertrude Eaton, Miss Hare, Miss Nina Boyle, and the Rev. J. Kirtlan.

Bournemouth. — Old silver was sold, the property of Miss Symons. Open-air meeting. Speakers: Miss Howes, Miss Pridden, Mrs. Kineton Parkes.

Henley-on-Thames. — A cow was sold, the property of Miss Lelacheur. Open-air meeting. Speakers: Mr. and Mrs. Cobden Sanderson, Mrs. Juson Kerr and Mr. Carlin.

Putney. The goods of Mrs. and Miss Richards were sold. Protest meeting. Speakers: Miss Richards, Mrs. Juson Kerr, Miss Phyllis Ayrtin, Miss Gilliat and Mrs. Cobden Sanderson.

Battersea. — Goods belonging to Mrs. [Helen Alexander] Archdale were sold. Open-air meeting. Speakers: Mrs. Kineton Parkes, Miss Clemence Housman, Miss Thomas.

Highbury. — At the sale of a silver salver belonging to Dr. Winifred Patch, of Highbury, Steen’s Auction Rooms, Drayton Park, were crowded on by members of the Women’s Freedom League, the Women’s Tax Resistance League, and other Suffrage societies. The auctioneer refused to allow the usual five minutes for explanation before the sale, but Miss Alison Neilans, of the Women’s Freedom League, was well supported and cheered when she insisted on making clear the reasons why Dr. Patch for several years has refused to pay taxes while deprived of a vote. A procession was then formed, and marched to Highbury Corner, where a large open-air meeting was presided over by Mrs. [Marianne] Clarendon Hyde, of the Women’s Freedom League, and addressed by Mrs. Merrivale Mayer.

Bromley. — Mrs. [Kate] Harvey, Hon. Head of the W.F.L. Press Department, is again resisting payment of taxes, and has, in addition, barricaded her house at Bromley. She hopes members of the Women’s Freedom League will support her when the sale takes place, and if any members will send their names to her, Mrs. Harvey will communicate with them direct as soon as she knows the date and time of the sale. If possible, full particulars will be published in next week’s Vote, and information may be had from Headquarters.

Here is another case where The Vote’s habit of omitting first names makes the researcher’s job difficult. Who is “Miss Carson,” for instance? I don’t know, and neither does Elizabeth Crawford’s The women’s suffrage movement: a reference guide, 1866–1928 or The women’s suffrage movement in Britain and Ireland: a regional survey, both of which follow The Vote’s lead and just call her “Miss.” That’s just one example. The names I’ve filled in in brackets, above, are educated guesses.