Sale of Suffragette stockings

A rare pair of Suffragette stockings are going under the hammer at Tennants Auctioneers in Yorkshire in its next Vintage Textile & Costume sale on 29th April.

A wide range of items were produced to promote the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) for members to wear either at demonstrations or during their day-to-day lives to continually raise the issue of votes for women. These included everything from silk motor scarfs, protest sashes and enamel badges, to beaded necklaces, rosettes and stockings. They always included the three colours of the Union, which were purple, white and green, which symbolised dignity, purity and hope.

Sarah White, specialist at Tennants comments, “The stockings which we are auctioning have been consigned by a vendor in Co Durham, who was given them by her grandmother 56 years ago to play with; fortunately she never did!  They are in good, original condition and are embroidered with ‘Votes for Women’, flags and bows in the suffragette colours.”

The stockings are circa 1908-1910 and have a pre-sale estimate of £400-600.