A handbill advertising a meeting of the League of the Church Militant

[London]: J. E. Francis (The Athenæum Press), 1920. The League of the Church Militant (LCM) was a suffragist organization founded as the Church League for Woman’s Suffrage in London in 1909 by the Rev. Claude Hinscliff. In 1919, following passage of the Representation of the People Act 1918, which gave some, but not all, women the right to vote, the group renamed itself the League of the Church Militant. It continued to fight for total enfranchisement, which was realized with passage of the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act 1928. The group extended its work to other liberal causes, such as the international peace movement and the ordination of women, but by 1930 had disbanded.

This handbill advertises a “League of Nations” meeting chaired by Dr. Letitia Fairfield, the first female Chief Medical Officer for London, and featuring Miss A. Maude Royden and the Rev. E. Lyttelton as speakers. It appears to have been a joint meeting between the LCM and the League of Nations Union, which was formed in 1918 to promote the ideals of the League of Nations.

Printed in blue on thin, pulp stock (5 ½” x 8 ¾”). Piece missing along the right edge, not affecting text, some closed tears and toning to newsprint. Item #9253

Price: $95.00