Lady Astor is voted into Parliament

Posted in Anniversary, History on Wednesday, 17 November 2010

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picture, Lady Astor, Viscountess Astor, Parliament, House of Commons, Lloyd George, Arthur Balfour

Lady Astor takes her place in the House of Commons. Illustration by John Keay

29 November marks the anniversary of the voting of a woman to take her seat in Parliament for the first time. Lady Nancy Astor was the wife of Waldorf, 2nd Viscount Astor, who had sat in the House of Commons until his father’s death, which automatically gave him a place in the House of Lords and forfeited his seat in the Commons. Lady Aastor stood at the by-election to replace him as MP for Plymouth Sutton and took her seat on 1 December 1919.

Only one woman had previously been elected: Constance Markiewicz had been voted into Parliament at Dublin St Patrick’s in 1918 but, as a member of Sinn Fein, she refused to take her seat. Countess Markiewicz was, however, the first woman to hold a cabinet position (Minister of Labour of the Irish Republic, 1919-22).

Many more pictures relating to all aspects of Parliament and Government through the ages can be found at the Look and Learn picture library.

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