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Bradford, West Yorkshire: Anti-war Demos By Working Class Women

The Bradford Women’s Humanity League was formed ten days after conscription

The working class women’s peace movement was very active in Bradford. The Bradford Women’s Humanity League was formed ten days after conscription was introduced and they held many anti-war meetings and demonstrations. They met regularly in the Friends Meeting House and Laycocks CafΓ© in Bradford.

In September 1917, their biggest march took place. Three thousand women took part in an anti-war demonstration, marching across the city from the Textile Hall on Westgate and ending at Carlton Street school yard. They had a marching band and carried many banners bearing words such as: β€œThe Boys in the Trenches want Peace” and β€œI want my Daddy”.

When they arrived at the school yard they had political speeches – one of the speakers was Ethel Snowdon, wife of a Labour politician.

A plaque on the building which was the Textile Hall now marks the women’s anti-war demonstration and march across the city.

Location: Textile Hall, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 1DD
Image: Advert about a meeting at Laycocks CafΓ©, published in the Bradford Pioneer, courtesy of Finola Doogan
Presented by ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ reporter, Jane Chesworth

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7 minutes

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