Acknowledgements

The Women's Library made this exhibition possible in the first instance by awarding me the Vera Douie Fellowship. All the Reading Room staff were extremely helpful, but especially Gail Cameron, Teresa Doherty, Angela Grainger and Anna Kisby. David Slater helped me design the website and Martyn Lello took the photographs. At the Girls' Friendly Society Joy Lauzzerai and Julia Cawthorne gave me valuable information about the organisation, while Carol Gardner and Members at the 2006 AGM shared with me their hopes for the Society's future. To all these people I extend my very sincere thanks while acknowledging that responsibility for any remaining errors rests with me.

The exhibition is best viewed using a broadband connection.

Opposite: 5GFS/20/15 Many GFS Branches had a banner, often beautiful and skilfully made. Most were embroidered, but the central panel of this one belonging to the Halifax Branch is painted.