Graphical version

Women's Library

Scrapbook of Press Cuttings relating to Tax Resistance

IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 106 10/21

Held at: Women's Library

Title: Scrapbook of Press Cuttings relating to Tax Resistance

Date(s): 1910-1912

Level of description: Collection

Extent: 1 A box (1 volume & 2 folders)

Name of creator(s): Unknown

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Tax Resistance League (1909-1918) was established in 1909 with the aim of organising female resistance to taxation levied without any correspondent representation through voting rights. The organisation carried on a form of protest that dated back to 1870 when the Priestman sisters refused to pay income tax. The foundation occurred at a meeting held by Louisa Garrett Anderson that was attended by supporters of the Women's Freedom League including Cicely Hamilton and Dr Kate Aslam. By July 1910 the League had 104 members. Those who followed its principles, and whose actions extended to refusing to pay for certain types of licences, Inhabited House Duty, dog licenses, servants licences, etc were liable to have goods seized or be put in prison. House clearances by bailiffs were used as an opportunity to hold open-air suffrage meetings and the group was also involved in resistance to the census in 1911.

The League held meetings in the premises of both the National Union for Women's Suffrage Societies and the Women's Social and Political Union, but overtures to many local organisations were refused due to opposition to the illegality of their actions. It held conferences in 1911 and 1912 and became part of the Federated Council of Women's Suffrage in 1912. At the outbreak of the First World War, an urgency committee ordered that the League's activities be suspended and a subsequent meeting of members confirmed this resolution, though the resolution was only passed by one vote. No more meetings were held until 1916 when they took part in the Consultative Committee of Constitutional Women's Suffrage Societies established by the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies in response to the government proposed changes to the national electoral register at the end of the war. A final meeting was held in 1918 after the vote was granted to women in order to officially wind up the organisation and dispose of its assets.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

This scrapbook consists of press cuttings concerning tax resistance, the Women's Tax Resistance League and general issues concerning women and tax, 1910-1912.

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

Conditions governing access:

This collection is available for research. Readers are advised to contact The Women's Library in advance of their first visit.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Finding aids:

Collection level description available on-line on the Women's Library website

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Accruals:

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Unknown [Fawcett Library Accession Registers to be checked].

ALLIED MATERIALS

Related material:

The Women's Library also holds the Records of the Women's Tax Resistance League (2WTR)

DESCRIPTION NOTES

Archivist's note: Finding aid created by export from CALM v7.2.14 Archives Hub EAD2002. Edited for AIM25 by Sarah Drewery.