Women in Wolverhampton's History


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One of the key players in the suffragette movement and women's rights in Wolverhampton was Emma Lloyd Sproson, also known as Red Emma.

Emma Sproson c.1895 (Y1/SPR/4)

Born Emma Lloyd in West Bromwich in 1867, she was one of seven children of a canal boat builder. The family moved to Daisy Bank, Bilston in 1875. A year later at the age of nine Emma went out to work as a home help. As a teenager Emma moved to Lancashire to become a sunday school teacher.

Emma developed an interest in socialism and feminism. It is said that her interest in politics stemmed from attending a political meeting at which she asked Lord Curzon a question. He refused to answer because the question had been asked by a woman!

In 1895 Emma returned to Wolverhampton, and joined the Independent Labour Party (ILP) the same year. It was there that she met Frank Sproson, the local party secretary, whom she married in 1896. They were to have three children.

Frank, as secretary of the ILP, invited Emmeline & Christabel Pankhurst to speak in Wolverhampton. The Pankhursts stayed with the Sprosons in Hordern Road. Emma was invited to take part in a suffragette march to Parliament Square, London in February 1907. At the demonstration more than 700 suffragettes made two vain attempts to force entry into the Houses of Parliament. Mounted police were called out to deal with the riot. Emma was arrested, along with sixty-six other women, and served fourteen days in Holloway Prison. Here she became ill due to the appalling food and living conditions, but was buoyed during her incarceration by letters of sympathy from friends.

Extract from a letter written by Frank to Emma in prison, February 1907
(DX-686/10)

Emma Sproson and another Wolverhampton suffragette, Mrs Elizabeth Price, were arrested in a further protest at the House of Commons on 18th March 1907.

By this time anti-suffragette sentiments were widespread, and the attitude to Emma was aggressive on her return to Wolverhampton, traditionally a Liberal stronghold. The Militant Suffragette Movement (MSM) policy was to oppose any government or party unless it pledged its support for the 'enfranchisement of women'. Emma determinedly cycled around the constituencies agitating and campaigning at by-elections. At a second "Votes for Women" march to Parliament Square, Emma was again arrested along with hundreds of other women. Her second sentence was for one month, and she spent her fortieth birthday in jail! On her return to Wolverhampton, she was encouraged by the growth of the MSM.

The suffragettes continued to lobby in every constituency, often suffering physical and verbal abuse. In 1907 there was a split in the MSM resulting in the formation of the Women's Freedom League (WFL) which Emma joined. They believed that moral force was more effective than physical force.

Emma Sproson Women's Freedom League c.1907 (Y1/SPR/1)

In 1911 they adopted such tactics as refusing to fill in census forms on the grounds that, as women were not allowed to vote, it was pointless for them to be counted in the census. Although this was illegal the authorities took no action.

The WFL also believed in "No Vote, No Tax" and this resulted in Emma serving a further two prison sentences for refusing to purchase a dog licence! In 1911 she was committed to Stafford jail for fourteen days as an ordinary prisoner. Following a hunger strike her status was changed to that of a political prisoner, a status she retained when she was imprisoned again for the same offence later that year.

Express and Star, 2nd July 1914

When the activities of the suffragettes were temporarily halted with the advent of war in 1914, Emma devoted her time to the ILP and social welfare work. In 1918 she was involved in setting up a 'national kitchen' in Darlington Street, providing food for the poor and needy. She also wrote a series of articles for the Wolverhampton Worker, a Labour magazine, condemning poor housing conditions in the area.

Click on the image to enlarge
Wolverhampton Worker, 1st August 1913 (D-LAB/1/14)

With the end of the First World War, Parliament finally granted some women the right to vote. Every man aged over 21 could now vote, but women had to be aged over 30 and be either a householder, married to a householder or paying £5 a year in rent. It was not until 1928 that all women aged over 21 were given the right to vote.

Women were now also allowed to stand as councillors on their local council. Emma took up the challenge.

Election poster, Wolverhampton local council elections, 1921
(DX-686/23)

Emma stood as Labour candidate for Park Ward in 1919 and 1920 but lost on both occasions. Finally in 1921 she stood for and won the Dunstall Ward, becoming Wolverhampton's first female councillor. On receiving the news of victory she waved a red flag from the Town Hall balcony - hence the nickname "Red Emma"!

Emma Sproson in her council gown, c.1921 (Y1/SPR/3)

During her years with Wolverhampton Borough Council, Emma was very outspoken about abuses and malpractices. She was actually thrown off the Health Committee for publicly denouncing corruption involving the Borough Fever Hospital that stood in Heath Town. She was also involved with several other committees concerned with the care of the "'blind", "distressed" and "mentally ill", as well as child welfare and maternity rights.

Cartoon of Emma: The New Leader, 9th April 1926 (DX-686/21)

Following disagreements with the Labour Party in 1927, Emma stood unsuccessfully as an Independent Socialist candidate. Although she remained in the ILP this was effectively the end of her active political life.

Emma Sproson died on 22nd December, 1936.

Express and Star, 26th December 1936

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