When the Suffragettes and Suffragists were campaigning for votes for

women, they were at risk of being arrested and sent to prison where

they would sometimes be subject to violence, police brutality and force-feeding.

So, it was important that they could meet somewhere where they

wouldn’t be arrested and where it was socially acceptable for women to meet and be alone together.

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Tearooms were perfect spaces for the Suffragists to meet, therefore! We

will never know what was discussed in these tearoom gatherings, but

what we do know is that the tearooms gave women a safe space to sit and

share views over a slice of cake and a cuppa.