I have added in chronological order my portraits of the formidable adversaries to women’s suffrage starting with the British monarchy. Leading in order are Queen Victoria 1819-1901 followed by her son King Edward VII 1901-l910 and his son King George V, 1910-1936. It was 18 years into his reign before legislation was finally passed facilitating suffrage for women homeowners over age 30. I have included portraits of key politicians and their wives from the Liberal Party who represented a period of New Liberalism (1905-1915) during which they laid the foundation for the modern welfare state. Prime Minister Henry Campbell Bannerman (1905-1908) was married and without children. He supported suffrage in principle but did not deliver any legislation. Prime Minister, Herbert Henry Asquith, married with 7 children and his second wife, Countess Margot Asquith, (2 children with Asquith) and Beatrice Venetia Stanley, his confidante and mistress. Asquith and both women are not on record as supporting suffrage. David Lloyd George, cabinet minister and ring leader of the party progressives, married with 5 children, and his first wife Dame Margaret Lloyd George followed by Lady Frances Lloyd-George, who was his secretary and mistress for many years, and after Margaret died, became his second wife. Margaret supported women’s suffrage in principle like her husband and Frances is on record as being a suffragist. Herbert John Gladstone, Home Secretary, married and without children, he supported the idea of suffrage for women. Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill, Home Secretary with his mother, Lady Randolph Churchill . Lady Randolph played a crucial role in advancing her son’s early political career. She is not on record as supporting women’s suffrage and Winston who may have evolved to support suffrage in theory after his marriage in 1908 was never seriously invested in any legislation towards that end. Lady Clementine Ogilvy Spencer-Churchill, spouse of Winston Churchill, (they had 5 children) she supported suffrage for women. Reginald McKenna, Home Secretary, married with 2 children, was against suffrage for women.
