Women's Tax Resistance League - Uxbridge

The Women’s Tax Resistance League (1909–1918) was a group closely associated with the Women's Freedom League (estb 1907), which supported non payment of taxes until women secured the vote.

The Women's Tax Resistance League was officially established on the 22nd October 1909

The Women's Freedom League colours were Yellow (or Gold), White and Green

Uxbridge Women’s Tax Resistance League.

On Thursday evening, 16th March 1911, a good public meeting was held in the Town Hall, Uxbridge. The chair was taken by the Hon. Mrs. [Evelina] Haverfield, who gave a most earnest and spirited address upon the fundamental basis of the Suffrage movement. Mrs. [Margaret] Kineton Parkes spoke on the principles of tax resistance, and gave a short resumé of the work being done by the society formed to put these principles into practice.

Mrs. [Anne] Cobden Sanderson made an urgent plea to the women of Uxbridge to boycott the Census, and gave most lucid and logical reasons why the women should refuse to be counted, and endeavoured to show the serious results which follow to women from legislation without their consent. This meeting was entirely given and arranged by Miss [Kattherine] Raleigh, who is a member of the New Constitutional Society for Women’s Suffrage, and also the “Women’s Tax Resistance League.”

Report in Votes For women - journal of Women's Freedom League

25th March 1911

Katherine Ann Raleigh

Katherine Ann Raleigh (8 Park Road, Uxbridge) was the most influential Suffragette in the Uxbridge area, and was the driving force behind the Uxbridge NUWSS, Women's Freedom League and Women's Tax Resistance League.

Eldest in a gifted family, she was University women and a member of the University Club. When she arrived in Uxbridge, she drew around her a circle of friends at her weekly gatherings to whom she freely gave the benefits of her knowledge of literature and her talent for dramatic reading.

A Greek scholar, Librarian for the Hellenic society, She spent much time in Germany studying Folk lore, Member of English Folk Lore Society.

Katherine Ann Raleigh, became well known for her Suffragette work, wrote numerous pamphlets.

Raleigh was the first women (Uxbridge) council candidate in the Borough

Katherine Ann Raleigh died in January 1922 and is buried at Abney Park Cemetery, Highbury.

Katherine Raleigh deserves more recognition within the Borough. Photo Gazette 22 January 1922

In 1913 Marion Cunningham was secretary of the Hayes-Southall Women's Freedom League, lead by Charlotte Despard  (see other posts)

In July 1917 Miss Katherine Ann Raleigh, the assiduous local worker on behalf of the Women's cause (Suffragette) had refused to pay certain taxes as a protest to the government in not guarantying the franchise (Vote) to women,
Her property was seized and sold on this occasion a half dozen silver tea spoons in a case. these were bought by another suffragette Miss Underwood ( Believe this is F. A Underwood 31 Rush Hill Road, Clapham (Clapham Women's Freedom League)

Tory thugs broke up Women's Tax Resistance League and other suffragette meetings in West Drayton and Harefield

Uxbridge Tax Resistance League held meetings at the Pump Uxbridge

Uxbridge & District Women's Freedom League

Secretary: Miss Katherine Raleigh 8 Park Road, Uxbridge.

Hayes-Southall Women's Freedom League
Secretary: Marion Cunningham Mid London (late central) Women's freedom League

Secretary Mrs Tritton 1 Northcote Avenue, Ealing.

Quaker Suffrage Society established 1911

Secretary Sophia Seeking 6 Brookfield, West Hill, Highgate, London

Evelina Haverfield

Evelina Haverfield nee Scarlett was born in Scotland on the 9th August 1867. On her marriage to Major Henry Haverfield she moved to Devon, Caundle Marsh, Dorset and later Peace Cottage, Brendon, North Devon.

She accompanied her second husband John Blaguy to South Africa, where he was in the militar y. Her sister Ella Scarlett- Synage) a doctor, was also in South Africa working with Millicent Fawcett in monitoring the British Concentration camps for Boer prisoners and their families.

On her return to Britain, Evelina Haverfield became a prominent suffragette, initially involved in in the West of England National Union of Women Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) she joined the Women's Social & Political Union (WSPU) 1909 and became secretary of Paddington branch of the WSPU in 1910.

Her horse riding skills were used to great advantage by the suffragettes when tackling mounted police and in providing mounted horse escorts for suffragette events.
She was arrested for her part in the suffragette "Black Friday" on 18th November 1910 an accused of assaulting a police officer, on her arrest she was reported as stating that " next time I will bring a revolver".

A year later, 1911 she was sent to Holloway jail for two weeks for her part in suffragette disturbances on 21st November 1911
By 1914 she had joined Sylvia Pankhurst's East London Federation becoming its treasurer.
It was during her suffragette work that Haverfield came into contact with Vera Holme, who would later become her Lesbian partner.

During World War One Haverfield was appointed Commandant in Chief of Women's Reserve Ambulance (Green Cross Society) in August 1914, but left after a disagreement and became involved in the Scottish Women's Hospital in Serbia from 1915.
She spent the rest of her life fighting for the rights of the Serbian people

Evelina Haverfield died on the 21st March 1920 of pneumonia in Bajina Basta , Serbia, and is buried in the local cemetery, later a children's health centre was named after her in the town.

Picure right of Evelina's grave (Thanks to Tom Allan)

Hillingdon Herald - Women's Centre circa 1988