Ruby Ginner dressed in Indian national costume at the International Suffrage Fair

Ruby Ginner dressed in Indian national costume at the International Suffrage Fair, November 1912. This image was one in a series taken by Christina Broom depicting participants and organisers of the Fair and shows Ruby posing outside the main entrance of Chelsea Town Hall. The Fair, organised by the Women's Freedom League was intended to raise vital funds for the campaign and inform visitors about the progress of female suffrage throughout the world. Suffragettes dressed in national costume manned stalls selling goods representing different nations. The stalls were arranged according to whether they gave women the vote, each was decorated with their national flag whilst a figure of Liberty adorned those that had already granted the franchise to women. The Fair took place at Chelsea Town Hall in the Kings Road between 13th and 16th November 1912 and also included a programme of entertainment by the Actresses' Franchise League. A dance teacher by profession Ruby Ginner played a key role in the Fair and choreographed the Dances of All Nations that was performed daily in the entertainments hall. As well as training other women to take part in the dances Ruby herself performed an Indian nautch dance, a Scottish reel dance, the Spanish fandango and a Turkish veil dance. The 23rd November 1912 edition of the Vote newspaper noted Ruby's outstanding contribution to the success of the Fair by noting 'Her own remarkable dancing and the enthusiasm she inspires in her admirable band of dancers emphasised the outstanding feature of the fair - Internationalism'.