TO mark the centenary of the first British women to get the vote, White Horse News invited past Westbury female mayors to talk about the importance of voting and what it is like for women in politics.
Across the country women took to the streets, donned in suffragette colours – purple (loyalty and dignity), white (purity) and green (hope) – to march in celebration of 100 years of the first British women to be given the vote (to those aged over 30 and who owned their own home).
The marches also commemorated the struggle by women to get the vote, allowing following generations of women to have their voices heard.
The first concession for women’s suffrage in 1918 was followed a decade later by all women over the age of 21 being able to vote, with the introduction of the Equal Franchise Act in 1928. Today, women of all financial status above the age of 18 can vote.
Westbury has had female representation in local politics for many years, with the first female leader of the former urban district council Phyllis Cundick MBE, 1969-1970 and again from 1973-1975. Others who also led the town council and became mayor include Mrs JR Holloway from 1976-1978, Mrs MDL Martin from 1981-1982 and again in 1987-1988. Carolyn Los from 1989-1991, Marion Clegg from 1992-1994, Pamela Cox-Maidment in 2006-2007, Sue Ezra in 2009-2010 and again in 2012-2013 and Christine Mitchell in 2010-2011 and again in 2014-2015.
The White Horse News invited Sue Ezra and Christine Mitchell to discuss their views on women in politics and the centenary of women’s vote. Together, they were the first and currently the only female duo, with Sue being mayor and Christine deputy mayor, to head up Westbury Town Council.
Christine said, “In politics, in some cases, it’s still a bit of an old boys’ school.” Sue agreed and added, “Women need to be more vocal, they need to stand up and be counted, they’ve got a lot to offer, in fact they can see things that men can’t, they see things outside the box.
“They won the vote so we need to use it! There is a lot of people that don’t go out to vote, especially perhaps women, but they do need to vote and they do need to stand for the council, whether it’s the town council, the district or the county councils – we need more women!”
Christine added, “I would second that, women fought long and hard to get the vote, they didn’t have any rights before and women even died to give us the chance so get out there and use it!”
Sue said, “We have quite a lot of highlights. Us female mayors, more so than the men, care about people and we both cared about the town, we wanted to give people back something.
“The town was the highlight of everything we did, whether it was a summer event, Christmas event – the lights switch-on. People like to see their town look nice and I feel that the women on the council care a little bit more than the men. The men seem to be more about policy and procedures and sometimes you have to be shown to be giving something back to the town.”
Christine said, “The fact that women fought long and hard for the vote should encourage, especially young women, who are more aware of what is happening today to use the opportunity. I urge every young woman, every woman, to go out and vote!”
