A TALK to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women having the right to vote was held in Bangor last weekend.

The event held at Storiel was organised by the Women’s Forum of Arfon Constituency Labour Party and was attended by about fifty people.

Deb Critchley, who works with Welsh Women’s Aid and delivers training on violence against women, explored the history of women’s suffrage, drawing parallels with today’s issues in such diverse areas as Universal Credit.

Annie Williams, former Principle of Coleg Harlech, then gave a fascinating account of the local suffrage campaign.

Annie explained that the suffrage movement directly led to other improvements for women - education, contraception, and the “Family Allowance” payment, which went directly to the mother.

Several members of the audience contributed their own relatives’ memories of connections to the Women's Rights movement.

A poignant observation was that the creation of Deiniol Road in the 1920's, effectively split Bangor University from the Cathedral and High Street and led to the felling of the “Reformers’ Tree” that had been the focus of activism since the early nineteenth century.

There is now an online petition to request a plaque to commemorate the historic spot.

There will be further events in Bangor and Beaumaris on Saturday March 3, organised by Arfon and Anglesey Labour, to mark International Women’s Day.