Violets were a major emblem to the Suffragettes, and each one who was unlucky enough to go to prison would be met with her fellow workers as she left and given a posy of the flowers.
They were also, interestingly, formed of the same three colours that symbolised the WSPU - green, white and purple - colours which were incorporated into many other ways of protest for those not brave enough to carry a banner, or state their true belief. This also applied to jewellery, where the three colours were peridot for the green, pearl for the white, and amethyst for the purple.
And many of the suffragettes changed their name to Violet, or added it, whether openly or secretly, as a middle name.
There were other connections too. The editor of the Suffragettes weekly newspaper "Votes For Women" explained them as : "Purple as everyone knows is the royal colour, it stands for the royal blood that flows in the veins of every suffragette, the instinct of freedom and dignity...white stands for purity in private and public life...green is the colour of hope and the emblem of spring.'. However there was also a hidden meaning, for the initials of Green White and Violet also stood for Give Women Votes.
The flowers in our set were "selected and described by Richard Sudell F.I.L.A., F.R.H.S." The first series, again of forty cards, had been issued in January 1938.
Its original listing, in our Wills Reference Booklets says :
Garden Flowers New Varieties by Richard Sudell. Large cards, size 79 x 62 m/m. Fronts printed by letterpress in colour. Backs in grey with descriptive text. Home issue.
223. 40 A Series of 40 issued 1938
224. 40 2nd Series of 40 issued 1939