This reversible necklace is inspired by the Parliamentary scrolls on which the Representation of the People Act is written upon and is from the ‘New Dawn’ jewellery collection commissioned by The Houses of Parliament in 2016 & again for the Voice and Vote exhibition 2018.
Anodised aluminium is printed and dyed by hand in the many colours of the suffrage movement, has a polished surface and is completely colourfast. Cleverly connected by sterling silver rivets which allow the disks to spin a little this necklace is a must have for all lovers of history and features two distinct colours on each side, purple & green and red & green. It is worn on a sterling silver chain.
Weight | 30 gm |
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Dimensions | 5 × 2.30 cm |
Sizes | 20 inch chain, 16 inch chain, 18 inch chain |
Colours distinguished the many suffrage organisations with Emmiline Pankhurst’s 'Women's Social and Political Union' suffragettes sporting green, purple and white. Green signifies hope, purple - dignity and white - purity. The necklace has purple and green on one side to signify the suffragettes and red and green on the other
Designing the ‘New Dawn’ Women’s Suffrage Necklace
Sally Lees was commissioned in 2016 to create a collection of jewellery to accompany the installation of ‘New Dawn’, a light sculpture by Mary Branson to celebrate women’s suffrage.
Colours distinguished the many suffrage organisations with Emmiline Pankhurst’s ‘Women’s Social and Political Union’ suffragettes sporting green, purple and white. Green signifies hope, purple – dignity and white – purity. The necklace has purple and green on one side to signify the suffragettes and red and green on the other side to represent the suffragists as red and green were Millicent Fawcetts’s ‘National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies’ colours. The suffragists were believed to be less militant than the suffragettes hence their desire to distance themselves from the suffragettes by displaying a distinct colours on their banners. However, purple and green are the colours most widely associated with the women’s suffrage movement.