Florence & Gwendoline Beaumont, Millicent Fawcett
The difficult and politically heady days at Hatfield Hall when Florence and Gwendoline greeted Millicent Fawcett and other now famous suffragists are difficult to imagine. They lived side by side, supporting one another and hundreds of women to find purpose in a world that constantly denied them the right to vote. The women of Hatfeild Hall left an indelible mark on our nation’s history.
Florence Beaumont
Florence’s motto was, ‘I shall not bow to convention if that convention is based on unkindness or stupidity’ is a reminder for women in 2026 who live in a world which continues to deny women autonomy, continues to roll back hard fought for and won, rights and is quick to dismiss and condemn success, to keep integrity, kindness and ethicality at the heart all things.
Florence established the Wakefield Branch of the National Union of Women’s Suffragist Societies in the drawing room at Hatfield Hall in 1910. She was a prolific writer to the local newspapers, penning such correspondence as the example below.
Read about more blue plaques for Florence Beaumont here.
Gwendoline Beaumont
Gwendoline Beaumont was married to Florence’s brother, Gerald, and lived at Hatfeild Hall whilst raising her three boys. During WW1, they welcomed Belgian refugees and convalescent soldiers there. She played a vital role in the fight for equality.
Gwendoline Beaumont, as a result of her sister-in-law’s work, was able to stand as a candidate in the 1935 General Election. Consequently, her campaign carried a strong message to all citizens. In particular, she reminded women—who would not have been able to vote without the suffragist movement—that “it is your duty to vote”.
Millicent Fawcett
Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett was President of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies from 1897, and was a well-known speaker on women’s rights. The NUWSS was a powerful influence in the campaign for women’s rights. She was a friend of the Beaumont women and visited Hatfeild Hall in 1910 and 1917.
Read about Hatfeild Hall, Wakefield, and the Pioneering Political Feminists who lived there:
Blue plaque honouring Wakefield suffragists to be unveiled on International Women’s Day
Pioneering political feminists of Hatfeild Hall – part one
Pioneering political feminists of Hatfeild Hall – part two
Wakefield – Blue Plaque for suffragist Florence Beaumont | York Press
Wakefield – Blue Plaque for Suffragist Florence Beaumont – YO1 Radio
Wakefield – Blue Plaque for suffragist Florence Beaumont | Gazette & Herald
Pioneering political feminists of Hatfeild Hall – part two – United Kingdom
Honouring a political legacy: Blue plaque unveiling at Hatfeild Hall | InYourArea
More about Hatfeild Hall
Dream Time Creative CIC | Historic England
The Blue Plaque Launch, March 2026
In the presence of members of the Beaumont family
