WhenTessa Blackstone moved in to 2 Gower Street, London, she was delighted todiscover that a previous tenant had been Millicent Garrett Fawcett, the suffragistleader who dedicated her life to securing women’s right to vote. But Tessa couldnot find a recent biography of this impressive woman, as the historicalnarrative favoured the militant suffragettes over the suffragists, whocampaigned within the law and disapproved of violence. Some years later, Tessaresolved to fix the omission herself and began to uncover Millicent’s lifestory. Growingup in a large family in Suffolk, Millicent and her sisters challenged Victorianviews about the role of women in their pursuit of education, employment andenfranchisement. Getting married at twenty did not deter Millicent frombecoming a writer and feminist campaigner. Her husband Henry Fawcett, a blindacademic and Liberal politician, shared her views and encouraged her. She wasdevastated by his early death, but her grit and determination kept her going.Over many decades, she battled against indifference and prejudice and wassuccessful in not only winning women the vote but also fighting for improvementsin their educational opportunities and employment prospects.Brimmingwith charming anecdotes about Millicent’s life from cradle to grave, this isthe definitive biography of an extraordinary activist and campaigner whochanged Britain’s political landscape for ever.
