Lady Constance Bulwer-Lytton – an inspiration

Guest post by Isobel Evans, work experience student from Marriotts School, Stevenage. 

In February Isobel spent a week on work experience here at North Hertfordshire Museum. Isobel found inspiration in local woman Lady Constance Bulwer-Lytton of Knebworth House, who fought for the rights for women to vote.

A suffragette rosette badge from our collection

Isobel:

Whilst on my Year 12 work experience, I was shown around the museum, where I got the opportunity to learn about those who stood up for women’s rights during the early twentieth century.

The Lady Constance Bulwer-Lytton in particular, really stood out to me as she was someone who genuinely believed in what she stood for – the belief that women should be able to vote. As a result, she joined the Women’s Social and Political Union where she would give speeches around the country on women’s rights to vote. Some considered her beliefs and ideals to be controversial as she came from a wealthy family. When she got arrested, she disguised herself as Jane Wharton a middle-class seamstress as to avoid special treatment in prison. It’s quite admirable how she was willing to change her identity to fight for women’s rights and be subjected to what other women were going through without her privilege interfering with her treatment. I enjoyed reading about the women from where I am from and about how they went about getting their voices heard on their beliefs and the rights for all women.