Harriet Leisk

From 1909, Harriet Leisk was Chairman of the Shetland Women's Suffrage Society,^[3] which had been formed that year at the home of Christina Jamieson.^[5] The society was affiliated to the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies, and worked for the vote through public meetings, leafleting, and letters to the local press.^[5] This more moderate approach seemed to garner favour within the Shetland Isles, with Shetland appearing to have been generally in support of giving women the vote.^[5] In 1912, in a letter to the Shetland News, a male correspondent wrote:^[5]

The local suffragists have been doing a lot of quiet, but very effective work... they have in many unobtrusive ways brought their views before others and have succeeded in securing many supporters.’ They would continue to reject militancy for the length of their campaign.^[5]

One argument put forward by the Shetland women was that, given the frequent absence of seamen abroad - and their subsequent inability to cast votes - to give women the vote would mean that the wives and relatives of these men could, according to Jamieson, 'bring pressure on legislation affecting the wages, safety, and lives of seaman'.^[5]

Following the outbreak of the First World War, the Shetland Women's Suffrage Society established the Emergency Helpers, with Leisk acting as convenor.^[6] The Helpers' efforts focused largely on preparing themselves in case of casualties, including through the gathering and creation of supplies (such as surgical dressings and blankets), and through the provision of nursing training and first aid classes.^[1] The Emergency Helpers also fundraised for the Scottish Women's Hospital at Royaumont, contributing £204.12 over the course of the war for the hospital's 'Lerwick Bed'.^[1] They operated throughout the war, only winding up in May 1919.^[6]

Leisk died on 3 July 1921 in the Gilbert Bain Hospital, Lerwick.^[2]

In 2021, Leisk was one of a collection of Scottish suffragists celebrated in a deck of cards distributed as part of an education pack to 100 schools around the country.^[7][8]