VPRS 16451 2008 Monster Petition Project Banners - Victorian Women Vote

Full description

In 2008, Victoria celebrated the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote in Victorian parliamentary elections.

The series comprises banners displaying the Victorian Women vote 1908 -2008 logo travelled to metropolitan, rural and regional areas in Victoria.

The aim was to collect 30.000 signatures in acknowledgment of the achievement of the original Monster Petition and as a commitment to pursuing equality for women in all aspects of Victorian life.

The project emerged as a response to the 1891 Monster Petition. Over 350 calico banners with the Victorian Women vote logo were made available to sign as a way of commemorating the centenary and in acknowledgement of the 1891 Monster Petition.

About the Original Women's Suffrage Monster Petition.
The 1891 Women's Suffrage petition is a roll of linen cloth about 260 metres long. Pasted on to it are the signatures of approximately 30,000 women collected in 1891. The petition was presented to the Victorian parliament to urge the Government of the day to grant women the right to vote. Although the right to vote was not won until 1908, the petition is an icon of the women's suffrage movement in Victoria.