RESIDENTS of Cumnock and Doon Valley have been urged to come forward with stories about local women fighting for their right to vote.

It comes after November 2018 marked the 100th anniversary of women being allowed to vote for the first time in Scotland.

Now, a century later, the local community is being encouraged to share stories of local suffragists and suffragettes like Fanny Parker.

Esther Davies, who wrote a series of articles for the Chronicle on her great-grandfather, MP Sanny Sloan, has researched their campaigns.

Ms Parker was arrested in 1914 after trying to blow up Burns Cottage in protest for the right to vote.

She then spent three days in Ayr prison before being transferred to Perth prison for force feeding.

While there, it is understood jail staff forced large tubes down her throat seven times as part of the feeding process leaving her injured.

After her family complained she became the only injured suffragette to get a second medical opinion.

Ms Parker is then believed to have been released from Perth prison without charge because of the extent of her injuries.

It wasn’t until 1918 that millions of women finally got the vote, although they had to be 30-years-old and have property or a husband with land.

Now the community where she lived, want to remember the women by displaying their stories for the public.

Esther, whose family were from Rankinston, successfully staged an exhibition in New Cumnock, all about Sanny Sloan.

Now, she intends doing something similar and told the Chronicle: “I would be very interested to hear of any local stories about women trying to get the vote.

“My postal address is 2 Ronaldshaw Park Ayr KA7 2TJ. We can add in their experiences to the display.

“This is an important anniversary. I would like to remind readers that eight million women, who had to be 30 years old and have property or have a husband with property got the vote for the first time.”

“Also, more than six million working men got the vote for the first time along with them. Very few of the soldiers who fought in the First World War had the vote, and were still too young even after the conflict had ended.”