Farm Produce Stall at the Women's Exhibition

The Farm Produce Stall at the Women's Exhibition, 13-26 May 1909. The exhibition, organised by the Women's Social and Political Union to recruit new members and raise funds for the Votes for Women campaign, was held at Princes' Skating Rink in Knightsbridge and viewed by the leadership as a triumphant success. The farm produce stall sold items such as jams and marmalade made and donated by Suffragettes living in the more rural areas of the UK. This image by Christina Broom was probably taken during the judging of the daily farm produce competition and depicts two female judges surrounded by exhibitors or those who manned the farm stall. Cash prizes were awarded daily throughout the Exhibition for a range of categories including the best pair of fowls, drawn and trussed for table, the best pound of butter, the best eggs and the best assortment of vegetables.
Such stalls reflect the organisers efforts to ensure the participation of all regional and provincial WSPU branches in the Exhibition to maximize the fund-raising potential of the event. As well as contributing to general stalls such as the farm produce and flower stall regional branches all had their own stalls full of local produce and donations made and offered by local members.