This film is a comedy sketch set to poke fun at the Women’s suffrage movement happening in the UK at the time. The film and other films within the archive from this acquisition source are all very similar as they focus on the Newcastle-Upon Tyne area and document many different events used for local newsreels. This film was produced by the Gaumont Film Company founded in 1895, it is the first and oldest film company in the world. In 1897 it began producing short films to promote its...

This film is a comedy sketch set to poke fun at the Women’s suffrage movement happening in the UK at the time. The film and other films within the archive from this acquisition source are all very similar as they focus on the Newcastle-Upon Tyne area and document many different events used for local newsreels. This film was produced by the Gaumont Film Company founded in 1895, it is the first and oldest film company in the world. In 1897 it began producing short films to promote its camera-projector.

During this time, the women’s suffrage movement was gaining popularity, yet it was still highly unlikely that women would be given the vote as women were viewed as emotional and irrational. This led to men believing that women would get overwhelmed by the chance to vote. Men’s opinions on the supposed emotional fragility of women were further reinforced by the militancy of the Women’s Social and Political Union, which at the time was seen to be a major setback for the movement. Gaumont’s film demonstrates an aspect of militancy on behalf of the WSPU, yet the film is less of an actuality film and is more of a parody, it is actively trying to get the audience to laugh at the women's suffrage movement.

The 1832 Great Reform Act prevented women from voting, and in 1897 the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies formed with the goal of gaining the vote back for women. By 1903 it was becoming apparent that the methods the NUWSS were using were not working, for example, lobbying parliamentarians. This led to the creation of the WSPU who adopted more violent and militant methods by 1906 like, stone throwing, window smashing, arson, bombing and chaining themselves to railings. However, in 1914 the WSPU became less militant in an effort to help with the war effort. Women took on the role of men by working in munitions factories and on farms. By doing this the suffragettes gained respect and turned the public opinion in their favour.

1918 saw the Representation of the People Act which effectively granted all men over 21 and women over 30 who met the minimum property qualifications the right to vote. This Act was then updated in 1928 under the Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act which granted everyone over the age of 21 the right to vote. This Act was also updated again in 1969 and it lowered the voting age from 21 to 18.