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At HomesA tradition begun in Victorian times, At Homes were regular social gatherings at middle-class women's houses. A woman had her At Home on the same day each week, second week, or month, usually in the afternoon, exclusively for female friends and family. Daughters were expected to be in attendance to help as young hostesses. Tea and cakes were served alongside amiable conversation. When the suffragette movement gathered momentum in the early 1900s, At Homes were the perfect organized structure to infiltrate. With women already gathering regularly, and plenty of time on their hands, it was easy for suffragettes to spread the word. The Women's Social and Political Union even began holding its own mass At Homes in hired halls, with up to 250 women present. |