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Mary Anne Baikie
Mary Anne Baikie (29 June 1861 – 1950) a Scottish suffragist who established the Orcadian Women's Suffrage Society (OWSS) and grew the membership and public interest in the debate, in the Orkney Isles, during the campaigns for Votes for Women.
Baikie chaired the first official public meeting in Orkney to form a society for women's suffrage, on 25 October 1909. This followed a preliminary meeting at the home of James and Bina Cursiter, when Chrystal Macmillan, the suffragist champion of women's rights to a university education, had visited in Orkney, a month before.
Baikie spoke at the launch in Kirkwall Town Hall, saying:
I do not come as a political woman, but I have come as a friend of the cause of women, because of my sincere conviction, held since my early youth, that the suffrage will raise the status, and improve the condition of all women – particularly the women workers.
She proceeded to argue that from Magna Carta and the "British Constitution" women were not precluded from voting, but that legal reforms in 1832 deprived women of these rights. Baikie referred to thirty debates in Parliament from private members' bills to pledges from election candidates, none of which had prevailed. Her logic was that this outcome was because women did not have the vote, therefore any political promises could be made then broken with impunity. Baikie suggested that the "Orcadian's high intelligence will recognise the justice of the claim of women for political recognition, and will heartily support the cause". She also refuted the key points put by anti-suffragists about women's "inability" to fight, and that their suffrage would change men's attitude to women. Baikie felt it had taken courage for her to speak in public and bravery (and risk of alienation) if supporting the more militant suffragettes. Not all present agreed on this point but the meeting heard that New Zealand women already had the vote. Mr Cursiter commended Baikie's speech as the best he had ever heard on this topic.
The Orcadian Women's Suffrage Society's membership grew significantly. By March 1910, one hundred and sixteen signatures were collected in favour of women's suffrage, including 50% of the town councillors, and sent to the M.P. for Wick Burghs constituency. In 1911, the Stromness WSPU branch merged with OWSS.
Under Baikie's chairmanship, the society could host a debate for both sides of the argument without acrimony. By June 1910, Baikie was also developing a local Tankerness group, and an onerous 10 day tour by Wilhemina Hay Lamond (later known as Elizabeth Abbott) from the Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage, with meetings with fishermen at the pier, and in drawing-room groups, in Holm, Westray, Stronsay, Sanday (and North Ronaldsay), Kirkwall, Shapinsay, Rousay, Deerness, and Stromness); Lamond also aimed to visit remote Fair Isle.
In December 1911, Baikie convened another public meeting (including a social soirée) where she explained the Conciliation Bill and suffragist position, reported as "a brilliant speech, characterised by a sweet spirit of reasonableness, which was as convincing as it was enjoyable."
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Mary Anne Baikie
Mary Anne Baikie (29 June 1861 – 1950) a Scottish suffragist who established the Orcadian Women's Suffrage Society (OWSS) and grew the membership and public interest in the debate, in the Orkney Isles, during the campaigns for Votes for Women.
Baikie chaired the first official public meeting in Orkney to form a society for women's suffrage, on 25 October 1909. This followed a preliminary meeting at the home of James and Bina Cursiter, when Chrystal Macmillan, the suffragist champion of women's rights to a university education, had visited in Orkney, a month before.
Baikie spoke at the launch in Kirkwall Town Hall, saying:
I do not come as a political woman, but I have come as a friend of the cause of women, because of my sincere conviction, held since my early youth, that the suffrage will raise the status, and improve the condition of all women – particularly the women workers.
She proceeded to argue that from Magna Carta and the "British Constitution" women were not precluded from voting, but that legal reforms in 1832 deprived women of these rights. Baikie referred to thirty debates in Parliament from private members' bills to pledges from election candidates, none of which had prevailed. Her logic was that this outcome was because women did not have the vote, therefore any political promises could be made then broken with impunity. Baikie suggested that the "Orcadian's high intelligence will recognise the justice of the claim of women for political recognition, and will heartily support the cause". She also refuted the key points put by anti-suffragists about women's "inability" to fight, and that their suffrage would change men's attitude to women. Baikie felt it had taken courage for her to speak in public and bravery (and risk of alienation) if supporting the more militant suffragettes. Not all present agreed on this point but the meeting heard that New Zealand women already had the vote. Mr Cursiter commended Baikie's speech as the best he had ever heard on this topic.
The Orcadian Women's Suffrage Society's membership grew significantly. By March 1910, one hundred and sixteen signatures were collected in favour of women's suffrage, including 50% of the town councillors, and sent to the M.P. for Wick Burghs constituency. In 1911, the Stromness WSPU branch merged with OWSS.
Under Baikie's chairmanship, the society could host a debate for both sides of the argument without acrimony. By June 1910, Baikie was also developing a local Tankerness group, and an onerous 10 day tour by Wilhemina Hay Lamond (later known as Elizabeth Abbott) from the Edinburgh National Society for Women's Suffrage, with meetings with fishermen at the pier, and in drawing-room groups, in Holm, Westray, Stronsay, Sanday (and North Ronaldsay), Kirkwall, Shapinsay, Rousay, Deerness, and Stromness); Lamond also aimed to visit remote Fair Isle.
In December 1911, Baikie convened another public meeting (including a social soirée) where she explained the Conciliation Bill and suffragist position, reported as "a brilliant speech, characterised by a sweet spirit of reasonableness, which was as convincing as it was enjoyable."