Actresses' Franchise League

The Actresses' Franchise League was a women's suffrage organisation, mainly active in England. Though an organisation whose members were stage professionals, the performances were free and in a range of private and public venues.

History

In 1908 the Actresses' Franchise League was founded by Gertrude Elliott, Adeline Bourne, Winifred Mayo and Sime Seruya at a meeting in the Criterion Restaurant in London. While "actresses" are specified in the organisation's name, any woman who was or had been in the theatrical profession was welcome to join. British actresses who joined included Sybil Thorndike, Italia Conti, Inez Bensusan, Madge Kendal, Gertrude Elliott, Ellen Terry, Lillah McCarthy, Decima Moore, Cicely Hamilton, Beatrice Forbes-Robertson Hale, Christabel Marshall, Lena Ashwell, Edith Craig, Janette Steer, Ellison Scotland Gibb, Violet Key Jones, Ellen Kate Limouzin and Lillie Langtry.

The group had three main objectives:

1. To convince members of the Theatrical profession of the necessity of extending the franchise to women.

2. To work for Votes for Women on the same terms as they are, or may be, granted to men by educational methods.

3. To assist all other leagues whenever possible.

The League itself was strictly neutral in regard to suffrage tactics meaning the organisation did not either publicly endorse or condemn militancy. However, there were some members who were also a part of militant societies such the Women's Freedom League and Women’s Social and Political Union, and who were arrested and imprisoned for militant actions. By 1913 the AFL membership had reached 900 members, and there was an affiliated men's group as well as over 100 patrons.

The first meeting of the AFL was held on 26 November 1908. and chaired by the actor–manager Johnston Forbes-Robertson. The first president of the league was Dame Madge Kendal.