Suffrage Jewellery

Suffrage jewellery was worn by suffragists, including suffragettes, in the years leading up to the First World War. It ranged from homemade to fine, one-of-a-kind Arts and Crafts pieces and had the primary purpose of showing the wearer's support for women's suffrage in the UK. Jewellery was a significant tool used by British suffragists to identify themselves.

Suffragettes used the language of contemporary fashion to increase the popular appeal of their movement and break the stereotype of the 'masculine' women's rights campaigner. Suffragette jewellery often featured the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) colours of purple, white, and green. It is unclear who designed this branding, with some attributing it to prominent WSPU member Sylvia Pankhurst, while others suggest Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, co-editor of Votes for Women.

By 1908, suffrage became so fashionable that even Mappin & Webb, holders of royal warrants for jewellery since 1897, issued a catalogue of suffragette jewellery. The Arts and Crafts movement had close links with the suffragettes, and popular designs included Sylvia Pankhurst's 'Angel of Freedom' design, arrow-shaped hatpins, and badges with photos of WSPU leaders.

Although some argue that the significance of suffrage jewellery as a means of self-identification is overstated due to the popularity of the colours before and after the suffragette movement, the use of the purple-white-green colour combination was deeply symbolic of the suffragette movement. It offered a powerful means by which suffragettes could publicly advertise their identity and would not be construed as merely decorative by others.