English “Real Photo” Post Cards

Especially numerous among English suffrage post cards were “Real Photo” cards that depicted not only suffrage events such as demonstrations, marches, carnivals, and exhibitions, but sometimes peeked into official suffrage offices to show activists at work. Many of these cards were produced by commercial firms, sometimes working in concert with the organizations themselves. Perhaps the move active photographer in this respect was F. Kehrhahn, who was commissioned by the WSPU to record many of their events.

Another prominent photographer in this regard was Mrs. Albert (Christiana) Broom, who photographed scenes not only of the WSPU but also of the NUWSS as well. Mrs. Broom began her career at the age of 40, when her husband became permanently injured as the result of an accident and she was forced to find work. In addition to her efforts on behalf of suffrage, she also photographed the Oxford and Cambridge boat crews, the funeral of King Edward VII, the Coronation of King George V, and the first women police.

Hundreds of varieties of English Real Photo cards are known, although many were of limited issue. A representative collection of such artifacts represents a relatively comprehensive picture of the entire history of the English movement, including its militancy and the response to that militancy.