MILESTONES

Gladys Misick Morrell


1911—Graduates from London University with an honours degree in English 

1913—Is organiser for the Cornwell phase of a six-week march throughout England held to raise the profile of suffragettes’ campaign 

1914—Holds first meeting for women’s suffrage in St. George’s, but few are interested 

1918—Votes in the first election in England in which women are allowed to vote 

1919—MCP Stanley Spurling tables a suffrage bill in Parliament, but it goes nowhere  

1920—Women in the US get the vote. 

1923—The Bermuda Woman Suffrage Society is formed. 

1925—The Bermuda Welfare Society is formed 

1925—Parliament turns back two suffrage bills.  

1926—Marries British Navy officer Capt. John Morrell 

1928—Mounts an unsuccessful challenge to Parish Vestry Act in a bid to win a seat on the Sandys Parish Vestry. British women get full voting rights on an equal footing with men  

1930—The BWSS presents a petition to the British government—nothing happens.Morrell refuses to pay taxes, authorities seize her furniture, suffragettes buy it back at an auction. 

1935—Parliament rejects bill to allow women to vote in parish vestry elections. 

1942—Seeks support from blacks in a speech at Pembroke Hamilton Club 

April 21, 1944—Parliament passes suffrage bill. 

May 15, 1944— Suffrage bill become law 

1946—In a by-election, suffragette Henrietta Tucker becomes the first woman to vote in a Bermuda election and Edna Tucker is the first black woman to cast a vote. 

1948—Hilda Aitken and Edna Watson make history as the first women elected to Parliament in the general election.

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