Edinburgh History Talk: The Suffragettes Who Fought in Nursing

Name: Fight for the Vote: Suffragettes and Nursing
Start: 2026-08-20
End: 2026-08-20
Location: Royal College of Nursing

demoduck.co.uk editorial team 2026-08-20 09:26 2 min read

Vintage fabric Red Cross armband displayed as a historical nursing artifact.

On 20 August 2026, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in Edinburgh will host a public talk titled ‘Fight for the Vote: Suffragettes and Nursing.’ This event offers a deep dive into the historical intersection of the nursing profession and the women’s suffrage movement in the early 20th century. The session is free to attend, though booking is required to secure a place.

A Historical Intersection of Care and Protest

During the early 1900s, the struggle for women’s suffrage was marked by imprisonment and the physical trauma of force-feeding. This talk examines the dual role of nurses during this period: many were activists themselves, while others were professionals who identified and challenged the lack of adequate medical care provided to suffragettes suffering the consequences of their imprisonment.

By exploring these historical accounts, the event sheds light on how nursing practice became entangled with political protest and the fight for justice. The talk serves as a companion to the ongoing exhibition, ‘Prison Nursing Unlocked: A history of care and justice,’ which remains open to the public at the RCN until 30 September 2026.

Expert Perspectives and Archive Insights

The discussion will be chaired by Professor Emerita Pam Smith, the former head of Nursing Studies at the University of Edinburgh (2010–2013). The panel features a range of experts who will provide both academic and archival perspectives on the era:

Edinburgh History Talk: The Suffragettes Who Fought in Nursing

Jenny Noble (Glasgow Women’s Library): Will provide an introduction to the library’s work and host a ‘show and tell’ session featuring key suffrage materials from their collection.
Vari Drennan MBE: Professor of Health Care & Policy Research at Kingston University and current Chair of the Royal College of Nursing’s History of Nursing Forum.
Dr. Alison O’Donnell: A retired Lecturer in Nursing at the University of Dundee with a long-standing research interest in the history of the nursing profession.

Event Details and Practical Information

The event takes place at the Royal College of Nursing headquarters, located at 42 South Oswald Road, Edinburgh, EH9 2HH. Situated in the Southside area, the venue is accessible for those interested in local history and the development of nursing standards.

While admission is free, capacity is limited and advance booking is mandatory. Prospective attendees are encouraged to visit the official event page to confirm their attendance. As this event coincides with the ‘Prison Nursing Unlocked’ exhibition, visitors may wish to plan additional time to view the display before it concludes at the end of September 2026.

Source: Forever Edinburgh Events

Context & actions About this article

Source check Event verification

Details confirmed against the official Forever Edinburgh event listing.

Checks