Una Duval

Una Harriet Ella Stratford Duval (née Dugdale; 1879–1975) was a British suffragette and marriage reformer. Her refusal to say "and obey" in her marriage vows made national news.

Early life

Una was the debutante daughter of Commander Edward Stratford Dugdale and his wife, who were supporters of the suffrage movement. Una was educated at Cheltenham Ladies' College, and later in Hanover and Paris where she studied singing. She was niece of Arthur Peel, 1st Viscount Peel, Speaker of the House of Commons. Her parents' household had five servants, and they had a holiday home near Aberdeen.

Activism

Una Dugdale was introduced to the suffrage movement by Frank Rutter. In 1907 she first heard Christabel Pankhurst speaking in Hyde Park and from thence on toured the country with Mrs. Pankhurst raising political awareness and helping her in her work. In 1908 she began working with Helen Fraser in Aberdeen. She was at the by-election in Newcastle in 1908 addressing voters (male) to gain their support.

One of her sisters, Marjorie 'Daisy' Dugdale (1884–1973) led the procession to welcome Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst on their release from prison on 19 December 1908. On 24 February 1909 Una Dugdale was arrested in Parliament Square during a suffragette "raid" on the House of Commons. She remained in prison for one month.

In 1909 a full length portrait of Christabel Pankhurst by Ethel Wright was exhibited at "The Women's Exhibition" hosted by the Women's Social and Political Union. It was funded by Clara Mordan and held at the Prince's Ice Rink in Knightsbridge in May 1909. Duval bought the painting and it stayed in her family until it was given to the National Portrait Gallery. It was first exhibited in 2018.

During 1909-1910 Dugdale joined Mrs. Pankhurst on her two Scottish tours.

Marriage controversy

Dugdale sparked a national scandal in 1912 before she married Victor Diederichs Duval (1885–1945), who she had met when he acted as best man at Frank Rutter's wedding. Dugdale said she would refuse to use the word "obey" in her marriage vows, but did so after being advised that its omission could cast doubt on the legality of the marriage. The wedding took place at the Savoy Chapel, her father led her down the aisle and Christabel Pankhurst, Constance Lytton and the Pethick-Lawrences attended dressed in WSPU colours.

Duval was the founder of the Men's Political Union for Women's Enfranchisement; son of Emily Hayes Duval and brother of Elsie Duval - both fellow suffragists. Elsie was the second person to be released under the Prisoners (Temporary Discharge for Ill Health) Act 1913 (the so-called "Cat and Mouse law"), and wife to Hugh Franklin. Duval came from a middle class family, all of whom supported votes for women. Duval's father, Ernest Charles Augustus Diederichs Duval, was a German Jewish immigrant and his mother and aunt were members of the Jewish League for Women Suffrage.

As a response to the scandal, Mrs. Duval wrote 'To Love Honour – But Not Obey'.