| Abstract: | Over a century ago, the Isle of Man became the first country to grant propertied women a parlamentary franchise. This paper presents a case study of the Manx Election Act of 1881 which first enfranchised women and examines some of the factors which may have helped make its passage possible. Chief among these were the involvement of the Manchester National Society for Women's Suffrage and its liberal, middle class appeal, strategy and tactics; the personalistic style of politics on the island; and the absence of any party system. |
