LETTER : Myths of suffrage

Mrs K. F. Denby-Gardner
Tuesday 13 February 1996 19:02 EST
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From Mrs K. F. Denby-Gardner

Sir: I (sadly) have to agree with John Campbell's letter (10 February) that militant feminist action, rather than achieving the franchise for women, probably alienated political supporters, and thus possibly delayed women being given the right to vote. However, he also perpetuates a commonly held myth. The 1918 Parliamentary Reform Act gave the vote to men at 21 but only to women at 30. Women had to wait until 1928 for the Equal Franchise Act to grant them voting rights at the same age as men.

Yours faithfully,

K. F. Denby-Gardner

Bath

10 February

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