1. Lillian Margaret Metge was an Anglo-Irish suffragette and women's rights campaigner.
18 Facts About Lillian Metge
1. 2.
Lillian Metge founded the Lisburn Suffrage Society, which she left to become a militant activist, leading on an explosion at the Anglican Lisburn Cathedral in Ireland.
3.
Lillian Metge was imprisoned briefly, and awarded a Women's Social and Political Union Hunger Strike medal.
4.
Lillian Metge was born into a wealthy family who made their fortunes from the linen industry.
5.
Lillian Metge married in 1892, becoming the second wife of Captain Robert Henry Metge who was an MP for Meath and a magistrate.
6.
Robert and Lillian Metge had two daughters, Lillian Gwendoline Cole Metge and Dorothy Elise Cole Metge.
7.
Robert Metge died on 19 September 1900 before Lillian became involved in the militant suffragette activities.
8.
Lillian Metge's personality was described as 'tall straight backed and stern'.
9.
Lillian Metge became interested in pressing for the right to vote as neither her financial status nor education was enough, as she was a woman, and she became involved in being active for women's rights.
10.
Lillian Metge founded the Lisburn Suffrage Society and was its president and secretary at different times.
11.
Lillian Metge wrote articles for the Irish Women's Suffrage Federation movement's newsletter, the Irish Citizen.
12.
In 1913, Lillian Metge represented the IWSF at the International Women's Congress, held in Budapest.
13.
Lillian Metge was a suspect, due to her known militant position, and as the women's footprints had made a muddy trail straight to the rear of Lillian Metge's house.
14.
Lillian Metge was awarded a Hunger Strike Medal "for Valour" by the WSPU, with its green white and purple ribbon, and a date on the bar of 10 August 1914.
15.
Lillian Metge demanded to be released saying 'there is one law for women and another for men.
16.
Lillian Metge pursued peaceful campaigning for women's rights during the War, writing for the Citizen and working with the Irish Suffrage and British Women's Social and Political Union leaders.
17.
Some women were granted the right to vote after the War in 1918, and Lillian Metge gave up her activism in 1920.
18.
Lillian Metge moved from Lisburn to Shrewsbury for a while, then went to live in Dublin.