The Herstorian Mum

On this day in history, Ravensbrück—the largest concentration camp for women in N**i Germany—was liberated. A moment of remembrance that always brings me back to one of the most powerful books I’ve read: The Nine: The True Story of a Band of women who survived the worst of N**i Germany by

It tells the story of nine extraordinary women—Hélène Podliasky, Lon (Helena) Landau, Janneke Sjoerdsma, Zinka de Bévotte, Madeleine Passot, Jeanne Bohec, Odette Fabius, Yvonne Oddon and Mercedes Núñez Targa—resistance fighters based in Paris, who were captured, interrogated by the Gestapo, and deported to Ravensbrück before being forced into labour in a munitions factory in Leipzig.

In the face of unimaginable brutality, they formed an unbreakable bond. And during a death march in 1945, they seized a moment—and escaped. The book outlines their journey to resistance, their imprisonment and their lives afterwards.

What has stayed with me most isn’t just the horror of Ravensbrück—it’s the humanity within it. The resilience, the courage, the friendships formed in the darkest of places, and the determination to survive against all odds.

Ravensbrück imprisoned tens of thousands of women. By January 1945, around 50,000—mostly women—were held there. And yet, so many of their stories remain unheard, overlooked, or forgotten.

Reading The Nine also made me reflect on the silences in our history. The lack of open discussion around sexual violence during WW2. The ways women’s roles in resistance movements were minimised or rewritten, so as not to challenge the narratives of returning men. And how little we still know about the experiences of Romani women in the camps—stories that deserve to be told

Their stories matter. They always have—and they always will.

On this weekend in history, the Easter Rising of 1916 began—one of the most pivotal moments in Irish history, when Irish republicans rose up against British rule in their fight for independence.

Among those who stood at the heart of it was Constance Markievicz. A revolutionary, activist, and fearless leader, she played a key role in the Rising and later made history as the first woman elected to the British Parliament in December 1918. In line with Sinn Féin policy, she did not take her seat—but her election marked a powerful moment for women in politics.

But Constance was not alone. So many women took part in the Easter Rising—organising, fighting, nursing, and risking their lives—yet their stories are still too often overlooked.

If you’d like to learn more about these incredible women, head to the Herstorian Mum website and read the guest blog The Women in the fight for Irish Freedom by .

Last week I visited a small but incredibly powerful exhibit

Delivered by  Duality Vessels: Voices of Strength shines a light on ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices—stories that are too often silenced or misunderstood.

It prompted me to reflect on my own understanding, and reaffirmed something I feel deeply about: the importance of women telling their own stories, in their own voices.

Women’s history has so often been overlooked or erased. This exhibit was a powerful reminder that reclaiming those narratives matters—that there are countless ways women can write, rewrite, document, celebrate, and advocate for their own journeys.

Mary Philips hid overnight inside St George’s Hall to stage a protest. And the next day, Liverpool heard her demand: Votes for Women.

This image shows Mary Phillips, a determined suffragette known for bold acts of protest.

On the evening of 9 April, Mary quietly slipped into St George's Hall. While someone was playing the organ, she concealed herself beneath the judges’ desk in the Assize Court — spending the entire night hidden under the platform.

The next day, 10 April, a formal ceremony was taking place. MP and Chief Secretary for Ireland Augustine Birrell was being awarded an honorary degree.

Suddenly a voice rang out through the hall:

“Votes for Women!”

Mary had emerged from her hiding place to disrupt the ceremony. Guests struggled to work out where the shout was coming from as her protest echoed around the grand hall.

Acts like this forced the suffrage movement into public spaces — and into the national conversation.

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Not all suffragists fought the same way — and that’s what made the movement so powerful.

Different voices. Different tactics. One shared goal: equality.

But here’s the question… which approach really made the difference? 👀

Militants, think:
⚡ Window smashing
⚡ Hunger strikes
⚡ Direct confrontation

Constitutional campaigners, think:
📜 Petitions
📜 Peaceful marches
📜 Lobbying Parliament

Civil disobedience activists, think:
🚫 Tax resistance
🚫 Boycotts
🚫 Refusing the census

Performers, think:
🎭 Suffrage plays
🎭 Public lectures
🎭 Selling literature

Artists, think:
🎨 Posters
🎨 Banners
🎨 Campaign design

Every tactic reached different people, applied different pressures, and pushed the movement forward in its own way.

So… which do YOU think was most effective? 👇
Or was it the combination that changed history?

💬 Tell me in the comments
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If women don’t count — why should they be counted?
On this day in HERstory, suffrage campaigners turned the census into an act of protest ✊💜

On 2 April 1911, suffrage campaigners across the UK took part in a mass census boycott  refusing to be recorded by a state that denied them the vote.

The tactic was driven largely by the Women's Freedom League — but women across different suffrage groups joined in, showing that activism often went beyond organisational lines.

One of the most famous acts came from Emily Wilding Davison, who hid overnight in a cupboard inside the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in the House of Commons to avoid being counted.

Years later, MP Tony Benn arranged for a plaque to be placed in the chapel to honour her extraordinary activism.

But participation wasn’t uniform.

Liverpool suffragette Patricia Woodlock — who had already been imprisoned and gone on hunger strike — did not take part in the boycott.

Meanwhile, Dr Alice Ker and her daughter Margaret Ker, strong supporters of the WSPU, hosted 57 women in their home to help them evade the census.

The 1911 boycott reminds us that resistance took many forms — from quiet refusal to bold, symbolic acts.

To learn more about the 1911 Census Boycott, follow

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On this day in HERStory, the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) staged another mass demonstration at the Houses of Parliament, attempting to force a meeting with Prime Minister H. H. Asquith. Among those taking action were five suffragettes from Liverpool.

Patricia Woodlock, Alice Morrissey and Bessie Morris joined 26 other women in a raid led by Mrs Saul Solomon. With a brass band playing La Marseillaise, they marched to St Stephen’s Entrance of Parliament before being stopped by police.

All three were arrested, charges and given the following sentences

Each woman was offered the option to pay a fine but refused and chose prison instead.
• Patricia Woodlock – obstruction, 3 months in prison as a “persistent offender”
• Alice Morrissey – obstruction, 1 month
• Bessie Morris – assault, 1 month

In a separate raid that same day, two more Liverpool suffragettes were arrested: Ada Broughton and Cecilia Hilton.

📸 The image in this post shows Patricia Woodlock, as published in the WSPU newspaper Votes for Women.

She was only sixteen — but she shook Parliament.
On this day in HERstory, a teenage girl became a national symbol of resistance ✊

On 20 March 1907, after a Private Members’ Bill that would have given some women the vote failed, 75 members of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) marched to the Houses of Parliament in protest — and were arrested.

Among them was Dora Thewlis, a 16-year-old mill worker from Huddersfield.

Her arrest was photographed and splashed across the front page of the Daily Mirror, where the press gave her a nickname that would follow her forever: “Baby Suffragette.”

The image quickly spread beyond newsprint. It was turned into a commercial postcard featuring a verse that captured the defiant spirit of the movement:

“Take me back to Palace Yard…
For Women’s rights anything we will dare — Palace Yard take me there.”

Today, one of these rare postcards survives in the collection of (due to open at the end of 2026)— a powerful reminder of how protest, media, and public memory shaped the suffrage fight.

The same iconic image later appeared on the cover of Rebel Girls: Their Fight for the Vote by historian Jill Liddington, which tells the stories of eight Yorkshire suffrage campaigners, including Dora.

A teenager. A protest. A moment that became history.

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✨ Liverpool once hosted its own Parliament… run entirely by women.

📜 In March 1909, a Women’s Parliament was held at Sun Hall, Liverpool, attended by supporters of the Women’s Social and Political Union. The audience was described in the 26 March 1909 edition of Votes for Women as “very large,” showing the growing momentum behind the movement.

👒 National leaders were present, including Emmeline Pankhurst, while the meeting was chaired by Mary Gawthorpe. Pankhurst proposed a motion — seconded by Mary Phillips — addressing the treatment of imprisoned suffragettes.

⚖️ The key demand? That suffragette prisoners be recognised as political prisoners, which would grant them important rights and protections while incarcerated.

🙌 After brief speeches from volunteers preparing for a deputation to the Prime Minister on 30 March, the motion was carried with acclamation.

🗂️ This account comes from the Votes for Women archives, accessed via

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She was born in Liverpool — and changed democracy on the other side of the world. This is global suffrage herstory with Mersey roots 🌍✊

Kate Sheppard (née Malcolm) was born in Liverpool on 10th March  1847.In her early twenties,she emigrated  with her family to Christchurch, New Zeland.

In 1871, she married local merchant Walter Sheppard — but it was her activism that would make HERstory

In 1885, Kate joined the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, where she quickly became a leading voice campaigning for women’s right to vote.

Her organising, petition campaigns, and relentless advocacy proved transformative. Kate is now recognised as instrumental in winning women the vote in New Zealand in 1893 — making it the first country in the world to grant women national suffrage.

A century later, in 1993, her impact was honoured when her portrait was placed on New Zealand’s $10 banknote to mark 100 years of women’s voting rights.

From Liverpool beginnings to world-changing legacy — proof that Mersey women helped shape global history.

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Before hashtags, there were high streets.

And Liverpool’s suffragettes knew exactly how to use them ✊💜

In September 1909, the Liverpool branch of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) opened a shop to serve as both a base for activism and a hub for fundraising. Mrs Pethick Lawrence, a member of the WSPU national leadership team visited the shop shortly after it opened.

Located at 28 Berry Street, the shop became a vital organising space — even though its opening had to be postponed because the decorating wasn’t finished

Supervised by Ada Flatman, leader of the Liverpool WSPU, the shop’s most important product wasn’t merchandise — it was ideas.

One of its main sellers was the WSPU newspaper Votes for Women, spreading suffrage politics straight into the hands of the public.

The first shop worker was Mrs Dorice Callender, helping keep the doors open and the movement visible.

As the campaign grew, so did the need for space. By March 1911, the WSPU moved to a more prominent location at 11 Renshaw Street, placing women’s suffrage firmly in the heart of the city.

Happy

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Image taken from Votes for Women, 8th October 1909 accessed via