None given

38

Married

8 Edith Road, Hammersmith

WSPU

Evades

Eleonora Maund married her husband Edward in 1892 at St Pancras when she was 19 years old and he 42. He was the Director of the British South Africa Company and together they had several children. By 1911, they had been together for almost 20 years, during which time Eleonora became a supporter of the women's suffrage cause. Unfortunately, her husband did not share her views. This is revealed by the 1911 census form for the couple, completed by Edward as head of household at their home at 8 Edith Road, Hammersmith, London. Edward filled in all of Eleonora's details but she, by then a member of the local WSPU, wished to evade the census as part of the wider suffragette boycott. So, Eleanor crossed out her details in retaliation, but Edward re entered them in red ink along with the following comment: 'My wife unfortunately being a Suffragette put her pen through her name, but it must stand as correct it being an equivocation to say that she is away she being always resident here & has only attempted by a silly subterfuge to defeat the object of the Census. To which as “Head” of the family I object. E A Maund'. There was clearly considerable tension between husband and wife over this issue, but Eleonora was undeterred. She was committed to the WSPU (at least until 1912) during which time she made financial contributions to its funds and used the couples home to take in WSPU postal communications, store items for its suffrage exhibitions and hold WSPU meetings or 'working party's' there (see image). Given Edward's disapproval of his wife's involvement with the 'suffragette' movement, one can only imagine his outrage that Eleonora used their home for WSPU business. The couples dispute also raised a dilemma for Mapping Women's Suffrage. Eleonora's details are recorded on the 1911 census, so technically she is in compliance. Yet, we know that she did not comply; that she evaded but was recorded by her husband against her will. For us there was no question, that in memory of Eleonora and as testament to her voice and will, her 'silly subterfuge' had to be recorded as it was intended by her - as a census evasion. Thanks to Vicky Iglikowski-Broad for information on Eleonora. Read her blog on this topic 'A Silly Subterfuge' on our News and Events page.