First female MP

[CountessConstanceMarkievicz]

I wanted to draw your attention to a campaign I'm running to get a plaque installed to commemorate the London birthplace of the first female MP, Constance Markievicz.

Constance was a fascinating character - a feminist, trade unionist, suffragist, and a pioneer in dozens of ways. She was the first female MP ever elected to the House of Commons in December 1918, elected from her prison cell in Holloway Prison. She didn't take her seat, as a Sinn Fein abstentionist, so many people do not know her name. She has been largely forgotten, relegated to a footnote in history.

I am campaigning to get a Blue Plaque installed at 7 Buckingham Gate, where she was born, and have submitted a proposal to English Heritage. I've set up a petition, and I wanted to share it with you in the hope that you could get behind this campaign.

Less than 15% of Blue Plaques in London commemorate the achievements of women, and I think this is a travesty. Who we remember matters, especially in our public spheres. We need to tell those women's stories, and where better to start than with the first female MP.

https://chng.it/bm6vgMLZTP

My petition is here - I would be incredibly grateful if you could sign it and perhaps amplify the campaign. It's already been signed by leading politicians in Ireland. My aim is to generate some media for the campaign too

(Apologies to Craicnet, where I’ve already posted this)

This is an interesting one, I wonder if they might balk at it, because of her SF membership?

I would hope not, as the history of SF is intimately connected with the history of UK government and of where power ultimately resides in the UK and Ireland. I don't hold with airbrushing.

I’m Irish and at school (in the 80s) we learned about her and about other brave women who played a role in Irish independence and Irish history. I know older Irish women who were named after her and I know older men named after Pádraig Pearse 😊

I’d be happy to see a blue plaque commemorating her achievement.

it wouldn’t be the first blue plaque commemorating someone who fought for freedom and rights for others.

Top stuff OP signed. 👏

How many other people were under the impression that Nancy Astor was the first female MP? She was elected 1919
I had never heard of Constance Markievicz before now. Even Google gave me Nancy Astor.

Astor was the first to take her seat.

Constance didn't due to being an abstentionist.

This article mentions a previous blue plaque campaign:

The insider’s guide to Irish historical landmarks in London – The Irish Times

This was the Sinn Fein of the early 1900s not the Sinn Fein of Gerry Adams and the IRA. It was the Sinn Fein of Michael Collins. Sinn Fein translates as "we ourselves". She was part of this Irish Republican movement which was instrumental in Ireland gaining independence from the UK.
Great idea op best of luck with it.

Happy to sign and thanks for flagging this op

Thank you for sharing - signed in memory of my beloved late father, an Irishman in the UK, who always corrected any reference to Nancy Astor as the ‘first female British MP’, even if it was just by shouting at the radio/television!

Just coming back into the thread to say thank you to everyone who has signed, shared or commented.

@TickingAlongNicely - it’s fascinating how quickly Constance’s memory and legacy have been forgotten, especially since Nancy Astor was a bit of an arse. I did an unscientific poll and around 40% of people said that they thought Astor was the first female MP, so you aren’t on your own.

@MMBaranova this article has been a lifeline, thank you for sharing. I knew about the previous request to get a plaque but didn’t know it had come from a campaign, so I’ve emailed the journalist for more information. Super useful!

@Dulra I’ve talked about Michael Collins a lot these last few weeks - there’s a Hollywood film telling his story, but so few people know hers. Evidence of how women’s stories are so often neglected and forgotten.

Anyway, I really appreciate it and I’ll keep you posted :)