Historical society

THE SPEAKER at the monthly meeting next Tuesday, 8 March, will be Dr Neil Evans, the society’s chairman, who will give a talk on votes for women and the Welsh Suffragettes’ march to London in 1913.He replaces Merfyn Tomos who is unable to make the meeting. The society hopes to rearrange Merfyn’s lecture for next year’s programme. In the years before the First World War the issue of votes for women was vital and hotly contested. The most well known aspect of this campaign was the activities of the militant suffragettes, led by Emmeline Pankhurst, who disrupted meetings, damaged mail in post boxes, chained themselves to railings and burned down buildings. Some Welsh women took part in this campaign, as will be discussed in the lecture, but far more were involved in the peaceful, constitutional agitation for the vote led by Millicent Garrett Fawcett. In 1913 the militants’ activities reached their peak. In response to this, the constitutional element of the suffragette movement organised a remarkable pilgrimage to London, culminating in a huge demonstration in Hyde Park. Women from all parts of Britain marched along the roads to London holding meetings along the way – often having their meetings broken up by thugs. The lecture will examine the Welsh marchers from both south and north Wales and their experiences along the way. Many remarkable photographs and other illustrations of the event survive and these will be used to illustrate the talk. One of the north Wales marchers left a vivid account of her experiences which will also be drawn upon.Dr Evans taught at Coleg Harlech for many years and is an honorary research fellow at Cardiff and Bangor universities. He has published work on many aspects of modern Welsh history. The meeting will start at 7.30pm in Neuadd Goffa in Twtil, just opposite the castle, and light refreshments will be served following the talk. Non-members are welcome to attend.

Concert

A CONCERT will be held in Neuadd Goffa this Friday at 7.30pm.Ysgard, the school band, will be playing and also other young local musicians. Tickets are available from the Ysgol Harlech reception or the swimming pool reception, or people can pay on the door.International Women’s DayCALL in for a cuppa at Harlech Pool Café on International Women’s Day, Tuesday, 8 March, between 10.30am and noon for a chat. It is even better if you can bring good clothes for the women and children who are caught up in the desperate refugee situation.