Catalogue Number
NMLH.2016.1.1
Object Name
Postcard
Title
"Where are you going to, my pretty Maid?"...
Place
London
Stourbridge
People
Donald McGill
Events
Flapper Election
1928 election
Date
1928
Creator(s)
Description
: Illustrator Donald McGill's postcards proved hugely popular with seaside holidaymakers.
The two postcards of this kind in the collection comment on the passing of the Equal Franchise Act in 1928, the moment when men and women could vote on equal terms. Superficially the postcards are just a bit of fun, but in reality they are evidence of long held misogynistic (the hatred or belittling of women) assumptions about how and why women would vote.
This postcard in particular pictures a long held delusion about women's voting intentions. Namely, that politics was complicated, women were too superficial to understand it, and consequently they would just vote for the best looking man. Thus the 'pretty Maid' informs the man (a candidate in the election, his poster is shown far right) that she will be voting for the handsome Binks, the 'Duck in the plus fours'.
It reads:
"Where are you going to, my pretty Maid?"
"I'm going a-voting Sir" she said.
"And who shall you vote for, my pretty Maid?"
"That Duck in plus fours, kind sir," she said.
Multimedia
