Taking their inspiration from the 1910 book, ‘Votes for Catharine Susan and Me’ by Kathleen Ainslie, Year 7 students from George Stephenson High School created their own peg doll style puppets and worked with a professional animator to tell the stories of key people involved in the women’s suffrage movement in the United Kingdom in the early 20th century.
Firstly, the students visited Special Collections where they saw the anti –suffrage book ‘Votes for Catharine Susan and Me’ (RB 823.912 AIN) and other items, including a banner belonging to Ethel Williams used in pro-suffrage processions.
Next, the students experienced a mini-lecture to learn about the 1918 Representation of the People Act, had a guided walk around Newcastle City centre and used the internet to find out more about of the individuals, places and events associated with the campaign for women’ suffrage in the North East of England.
Finally, with support from their Design and Technology and Art teachers, and from Lesley-Anne Rose, a professional puppet maker and animator, the students designed and made their own puppets and created stop-motion animations about women including Emily Davison, Emmeline Pankhurst and Ethel Williams and events such as the so-called ‘Battle of Newcastle’, 1909.
The Battle of Newcastle (1909)
Ethel Williams
Emmeline Pankhurst
Emily Wilding Davison
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