It seems to me now, looking back, that all my previous life had been a preparation for this great experience. Hannah, Gibbon and their son moved to Elizabeth Street in Ashton-under-Lyne where she began her life’s work Together they pursued their politics, and Gibbon supported her in her fight for women’s right to vote in the years from the end of the 19th Century to the First World War. She met Gibbon Mitchell, a tailor, member of the Fabian Society and founder member of the ILP.
Hannah’s move to Bolton changed her life. But her new freedom did allow her to choose her own friends, develop her education through reading and begin a career in radical politics. Hannah’s working life taught her many lessons about the limited opportunities for young working class women, the slavery of service – both domestic and factory – and the low wages which meant she often went without meals.
Domestic work was not for her and, because she had good sewing skills, she left and went to work as a seamstress. Fortunately her employer had a good library which she devoured. Clashing with her mother, who stopped Hannah from going to school, she left home at 14 years to start a life of domestic service. She was born on 11 February 1871, one of six children, on a remote farm in Derbyshire. Happy International Women’s Day! Hannah Mitchell They show that we can all make a difference to society – but we can only do it if we get together with other women and men. They are ordinary women who led (or are still leading) extraordinary lives. Here are three women who have led lives devoted to opposing injustice and inequality. In 2013 life can be really depressing and, even for those of us who have always been active in some kind of political struggle, we need inspiration to continue to oppose the attacks being made on our public services and our way of life. Over 30,000 women attended a street demonstration and, when the police tried to take the women’s banners, the women fought back.Ĭlara Zetkin believed that it was only working class women and men campaigning together who could change society and bring freedom and equality to all people. So many women attended that the men had to give way to the women and looked after the children, whilst the women went to the meetings. Across the country meetings were organised in small towns as well as big cities. It was organised by word of mouth and debates took place about the role of women and their right to vote. International Women’s Day was proposed by two German socialist women, Luise Zietz and Clara Zetkin, at the Socialist Womens conference in 1910 and was first celebrated on 19 March 1911.
On International Women’s Day 2013 I would like to dedicate this post to three women whom I think live up to the spirit of this day. Hitting Home by Claire Mooney from her CD Slow Riot 1997 For the sisters, mothers, friends and lovers
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