BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

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become involved in party politics.
Their ability to carry out
political speeches, canvassing, the conveyance of voters to the polls,
and their application of the tenets of the Corrupt Practices Act as
well as their leadership rendered at the central and local levels gave
them valuable experience in the political arena.
The growing
sophistication of the Ladies' executive was demonstrated at their
annual general meetings which initially had been dominated by male
Primrose and Conservative party figures.
Lady Jersey's address to the LGC gathering held in 1887 marked
the gradual transition from an annual event presided over by prominent
Conservative and Grand Council figures to a forum for the expression of
the views of the women's executive.
In defending their active role,
Lady Jersey noted that year, "Some may object to women descending into
the political arena, but surely none can gainsay their arming their
combatants for the fray."37
jhe military metaphor was more forcefully
applied by Lady Jersey at an annual LGC meeting held in 1890.
Anticipating a General Election within the next two years, she urged
her female audience "to clear the decks for action and keep our powder
dry. (Loud applause.)"38
Women made frequent references to their limited oratorical
abilities and their general reluctance to intrude into the male
dominated sphere of politics.
Their actions generally were defended as
based on restoring and protecting vital national institution for the
37 LGC Executive Committee Minutes, 25 May 1887, citing The
Morning Post article of 25 May 1887.
38
The Primrose League Gazette, 24 May 1890, p. 2.