Women wanted the vote because they knew it was the first step to other changes – that by choosing who would represent them in parliament, they could influence legislation regarding employment options, equal pay for equal work and educational opportunities. They would also be able to highlight the need for improved housing and better public healthcare for women and children.

In short, it wasn’t a selfish act. They were campaigning for something worthwhile that would improve the lot of many – this made it easier to stick with it, and to convince others it was necessary.

There were dozens of suffrage societies so women (and men) could choose the one that best fit their needs. Some groups focused only on attaining the vote for women, others wanted the vote for all working people.

In this way they allowed space for people to take part to the best of their ability and in ways that suited them – whether this was chalking pavements, raising money, circulating petitions or signing up for civil or criminal disobedience, like breaking windows and burning messages into golfing greens.

Over time, the women found that rational argument could only get you so far. While polite society would have preferred them to keep it ‘ladylike’, the suffragettes decided to instead redefine ladylike. They recognised that there is a place for emotion in all political fights – many of their more combative activities like breaking windows were an expression of anger and frustration.

The women would also organise huge, glorious processions that highlighted their cause, with a focus on great women of history and the unrecognised work of so many women in different professions from pottery to education. Watching or participating, women could see themselves celebrated and buy-in to the big emotions engendered by collective movements.

The movement worked because it was relentless. Using petitions, interrupting political meetings with questions, lobbying politicians and publishing whole newspapers of articles promoting women’s suffrage kept the topic on the agenda.

More attention-raising antics such as locking themselves to the grilles of the ladies gallery in the House of Commons, burning down the holiday houses of politicians and damaging public property forced the media to report on the cause and keep it in the public eye.

A long campaign can be gruelling – and women know more than most that (rightly or wrongly) the public doesn’t always respond well if you take yourself too seriously.

These women embraced the term “suffragette” (originally meant to be insulting). They threw celebratory breakfasts at fancy hotels when they were released from prison and even raised money by selling board games in which suffragettes had to outwit the police.

The suffragettes leaned into the absurdity of having to work so hard for something that should never have been withheld in the first place. They had a sense of humour and knew that if you laugh at yourself, you won’t be hurt by the laughter of others.