The
Edinburgh Ladies' Emancipation Society was at one time the focus for women's rights in Edinburgh. This came to an end when
Eliza Wigham,
Jane Wigham and some of their friends set up the Edinburgh chapter of the
National Society for Women's Suffrage on 6 November 1867. Eliza and her friend
Agnes McLaren became the secretaries,
Priscilla Bright McLaren was the president and
Elizabeth Pease was the treasurer. One aim of the group was to influence a change in policy through supportive key politicians (MPs)
John Stuart Mill,
Jacob Bright and
Duncan McLaren. In 1868,
Mary Burton, a member of the Society, went to court, unsuccessfully, for the right to register to vote. By 1877, Eliza Wigham was still the secretary but she was sharing the role with
Emily Rosaline Orme.
Jessie C. Methven became honorary secretary in the mid 1890s. She was succeeded in 1906 by
Elsie Inglis. Inglis also played a role in the early years of the
Scottish Federation of Women's Suffrage Societies, acting as honorary secretary from 1906 to 1914.
Sarah Mair, who was a leading activist for various causes including the
Edinburgh Ladies' Educational Association, became president of the society in 1907. Suffragette sisters and hunger strikers
Arabella and
Muriel Scott joined whilst students at the
University of Edinburgh (before 1908). The organisation campaigned until (some) women got the right to vote in 1918, then renamed as the National Union of Women for Equal Citizenship went on to fight for women's issues. ==References==