Main Performers | Mrs Millicent Fawcett, Miss Frances Sterling, Mrs Chapman Catt Mrs Philip Snowden, Dr Anna Shaw Mr Ramsay MacDonald MP - speakers |
Secondary Performers | Madame Marie Brema - vocal |
Set List | 'Hark, Hark! What Sound Assails the Air' (Marie Brema) |
Performance Notes | "Over 1,000 women representing a pageant of women's trades and professions including teachers, doctors, journalists, actresses, and pit workers marched to the Royal Albert Hall, carrying banners representing their trades and 500 lanterns to light the way. Simultaneously the Suffragist International Congress was being held in London. Speakers at the Hall were Millicent Fawcett and Ramsay MacDonald MP. 'Mr Ramsay MacDoanld MP moved a resolution expressing satisfaction with the progress of the women's suffrage movement. The resolution was carried by acclamation." (The Times, 28 April 1909)
"At the London Society's meeting Mrs Fawcett was in the chair. She made a brief speech, after which the pageant of Women's Trades and Professions entered. A scene of great beauty and dignity followed, which called forth great enthusiasm. At last everyone was seated, and Madame Marie Brema sang the new Suffrage song:'Hark, hark! what sound assails the air', the refrain being taken up by the audience. One can conceive of no nobler leader in such art than Madame Brema, surely the embodiment of the ideal Valkyrie. Mrs Chapman Catt (who had a great reception), Mr Ramsay MacDonald, Miss Frances Sterling, Mrs Philip Snowden, and Dr Anna Shaw were the other speakers. They one and all devoted their speeches to urging the justice and expediency of their claim, and to expressing their confident hope of success." (The Common Cause, 6 May 1909)
Photographs of the procession to the Hall are held at the Museum of London - examples ID. Nos. 1305, 1308, 1356 |