The events begin on Saturday (3 February) with an international conference on Women’s Suffrage and Political Activism, organised jointly by Murray Edwards College and Anglia Ruskin’s Labour History Research Unit.
On Tuesday, 6 February from 7pm until 9pm, former Cambridge MP Anne Campbell will unveil a blue plaque to Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett, leader of the non-violent suffrage campaigns who lived at 18 Brookside, at a civic ceremony at the city’s Guildhall.
A free screening of the film Suffragette will take place at the Mumford Theatre at Anglia Ruskin at 6.30pm on Monday, 12 February followed by a panel discussion. The following day from 1pm until 2pm, History alumna Sue Slack will present an illustrated talk about the suffrage campaigns in Cambridge.
On Tuesday, 20 February, Shahida Rahman will give a presentation at Anglia Ruskin’s East Road campus about two little-known Asian suffragettes, Sophia Duleep Singh and Bhikaji Cama. The talk will take place from 6pm until 7pm.
Professor Mary Joannou, founder member of CAMVOTE100 and a convenor of the international conference, said: “I nominated Millicent Fawcett to the Independent Blue Plaque Committee and I am delighted that we are to mark her connection with our historic city, and that so many interesting events have been planned.
“Cambridge has a very strong campaigning history and will be at the forefront of national celebrations of women’s suffrage in February and beyond. What makes CAMVOTE100 distinctive is our determination to link the concerns of the past to those of the present.”
While many events are free, collections will be held for local charities and social enterprises, including: Women’s Aid; Rape Crisis; Turtle Doves; and the Cambridge Women’s Resource Centre.
Full details including booking information is available on the dedicated website www.cambridge.gov.uk/100-years-of-votes-for-women