In the early 1900s, many suffragettes were imprisoned and many experienced brutal force feeding. Nurses were amongst those who joined the public outcry, both as suffragettes and pointing out that there were often no nursing staff onsite to help suffragettes recover after this ordeal. This talk will discuss nurses who were suffragettes, arrested and imprisoned.
This event will be chaired by Pam Smith, Professor Emerita, and former head of Nursing Studies (2010-13) at the University of Edinburgh. Hear from Jenny Noble from Glasgow Women’s Library, who will give an introduction to GWL followed by a “show and tell” of key suffrage materials in their collections; Vari Drennan MBE, Professor of Health Care & Policy Research at Kingston University, London and Chair of the Royal College of Nursing ‘s History of Nursing Forum (RCN-HONF), and Dr Alison O’Donnell, a retired Lecturer in Nursing at the University of Dundee and has a long-held interest in nursing and its history.
This event accompanies Prison Nursing Unlocked: A history of care and justice: exhibition, which runs until 30 September 2026.
The Fight for the Vote: Suffragettes and Nursing takes place at Royal College of Nursing’s HQ on South Oswald Road. The talk is free to attend, but with booking required.
