Dr Tara Morton

Research Overview

I am a Teaching Fellow in Modern British History who explores the diverse intersections between grassroots feminism, gender politics and cultural change. My research centres on late nineteenth and early twentieth century women’s political culture with particular interest in re exploring the women’s suffrage movement through its artistic, social, sexual subcultures and digital mapping.

I am currently writing the first and intersectional history of political art group The Suffrage Atelier and exploring interlinkages between women’s past and present political activism to help shape future policies. Public outreach through storytelling, place, and inclusivity, is a strong feature of my work including as founder of the digital citizen history project Mapping Women’s SuffrageLink opens in a new window

Research strands I am actively developing include the transformative power of past feminist cultures in future policy writing; critiquing suffrage artists global lives in the colonial context; and tracing the threads of disability and health reform activism through the women's equal franchise movement.

Publications

Forthcoming - Morton, T, ''Teaching by the eye those who do not or cannot hear the spoken truth': Mapping the Public Display of Suffrage Posters in Women's Fight for the Vote' in D. Steele (ed.) Sedition in Long Nineteenth Century Britain: Gender, Space and Protest (London: Routledge).

Morton, T, ‘‘Revolutionary Potential?’: The Role of Web Mapping and other Web Technologies in the Study and Democratization of Votes for Women Histories’ in Krista Cowman (ed.) The Routledge Companion to British Women’s Suffrage (London: Routledge, 2024).

Morton, T, ''A Fragile Unity': The Women's Coronation Procession, 1911', Blog, Mapping Women's Suffrage project (June 2021) A Fragile Unity: The Women's Coronation Procession, 1911Link opens in a new window

Morton, T, ‘Mapping Women’s Suffrage, 1911’: Online Sources, Modern History Review (2020) 23:1, pp. 22-23 Mapping Women’s Suffrage, 1911 - Hodder Education Magazines.

Morton, T, ‘‘An Arts and Crafts Society Working for the Enfranchisement of Women’: Unpicking the Political Threads of the Suffrage Atelier, 1909-1914’ in Miranda Garrett & Zoe Thomas (eds.) Suffrage and the Arts: Visual Culture, Politics and Enterprise (London: Bloomsbury, 2019), pp.65-89.

Morton, T, ‘Votes for Women: Polychronicon’,Teaching History (2019) Issue 174, pp. 50-52 Polychronicon 174: Votes for Women / Historical Association (history.org.uk)

Morton, T, ‘Changing Spaces: Art, Politics and Identity in the Home Studios of the Suffrage Atelier’ in K. Bebe, A. Davies & K. Gleadle (eds.) Space, Place and Gendered Identities: Feminist History and the Spatial Turn (London: Routledge, 2015).

Morton, T, ‘Changing Spaces: Art, Politics and Identity in the Home Studios of the Suffrage Atelier’ Women’s History Review(2012) 23:4, pp. 623-638 Changing Spaces: Art, Politics and Identity in the Home Studios of the Suffrage Atelier: Women's History Review: Vol 21, No 4 (tandfonline.com)

Morton, T, & Liddington, J, ‘Walking with Women’s Suffrage in Kensington and Chelsea’ Herstoria (2011) ‘Issue 8, pp. 30-40 HerStoria, the magazine of women's history - Spring 2011

Reviews & Acknowledgments

Forthcoming review - Livingstone, K, Women Pioneers of the Arts and Crafts Movement (Thames & Hudson, 2024).

Calvini-Lefebvre, M, Delap, L, Richardson, S, & Sorin-Delpuech, C, 'Digital Humanities, Citizen Science and Feminist History: The Promise and Limits of Digital History' Histoire Sociale/Social History, 56:116, Novembre/November, 2023, pp. 453-470.

Thomas, Z, Women Art Workers and the Arts and Crafts Movement (Manchester University Press, 2020)

Schwartz, L, Feminism and the Servant Problem: Class and Domestic Labour in the Women's Suffrage Movement (Cambridge University Press, 2019).

Crawford, E, Art and Suffrage: A Biographical Dictionary of Suffrage Artists (Francis Boutle Publishers, 2018).

Liddington, J, Vanishing for the Vote: Suffrage, Citizenship and the Battle for the Census (Manchester University Press, 2014).

Select Conference Papers

'Kathleen Trousdell Shaw: A deaf Sculptor Supporting Votes for Women' UK Disability History & Heritage Hub Conference, University of Manchester, June 6, 2024.

''She spoke like a negro to the manner born': Suffrage Artists, Migration, and Empire: a Case study of Pamela Colman-Smith' Women's History Network Annual Conference, Women and Migration, Sept 1 & 2, 2023.

‘Suffrage Artists: Mapping Women’s Suffrage, 1911’ British Women Artists 1750-1950 Network, University of York, March 2021.

'Black Country & Mapping Women's Suffrage, 1911' Black Country Studies Research Network II: Black Country Landscapes Conference, Black Country Museum, West Midlands, Feb 2020.

‘Not Women’s History, Just History: Re-imagining Women’s Suffrage’ Joint Paper & Suffrage Workshop, University of Cambridge Symposium, 2019.

‘Suffrage Lives, 1866-1914: constructing a database’ Historical Association Conference, Chester, 2019

Outreach & Engagement

Community Art Workshop & Talk 'Women's Art & Activism' organised with Mothers Who Make & Compton Verney, Coventry Allotments, 12 July 2025

Talk 'Mapping Women's Suffrage in Warwickshire' Kenilworth Soroptimists, Holiday Inn, Kenilworth, 10 July 2025

Talk 'Leamington's Suffragette Past' WIE Resonate Late 'Women in Politics Past & Present' Leamington Town Hall, 29 May 2025

BBC News Item interview Coventry & Warwickshire Lego suffragette marks anniversary of Coventry's first female MPLink opens in a new window February 2025

BBC sounds Lego Suffragette 'Hope' visits WarwickLink opens in a new window February 2025

Co-curator, 'Deeds Not Words' Folk Art ExhibitionLink opens in a new window, Compton Verney Art Gallery & Museum, Nov 2024-present

Walking Tour 'Amazing Women: Coventry Women’s Suffrage Walk’ Coventry, March 2022.

Podcast ‘Mapping Women’s Suffrage, 1911’ Genealogy Stories UK, January 2022 https://genealogystories.co.uk/tara-morton/.

Film ‘Life After Victoria: Leamington Spa in the Early 20th Century’ produced by Leamington History Society Life After Victoria: Leamington Spa in the Early 20th Century - YouTube August 2021.

Webinar ‘Mapping Women’s Suffrage, 1911’ Historical Association, June 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPpNPR4rrrI

Webinar 'Mapping Women's Suffrage in the Black Country', Black Country Studies Centre: Lockdown Learning Series, Summer 2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhOIstnOOug

Community Workshop ‘Mapping Women’s Suffrage, 1911: A Snapshot in Time in Coventry’, Coventry Cathedral, Sept 2019.

Community Workshop 'Women's Suffrage and Public Health in Coventry', St Oswald's Church, Coventry, July 2019 part of The Story of My Street: Activism Housing, Health & Welfare in Coventry, 1911-2019Link opens in a new window

Community Talk ‘‘Hitherto the Various Societies had Worked splendidly together’: Suffragists & Suffragettes: the differing Voices of Votes for Women’, Dormer Centre, Leamington, with Leamington History Society, Sept 2018.

Podcast & Free Talk ‘Mapping Women’s Suffrage, 1911: A Snapshot in Time’ The National Archives (with suffrage expert Elizabeth Crawford OBE & Prof Sarah Richardson, University of Glasgow) 2017 https://media.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php/mapping-womens-suffrage/

Free Talk 'Mapping Women's Suffrage & Census Records' The National Archives, 2017.

Walking Tour 'Walking with Women’s Suffrage' in Chelsea & Kensington with Dr Jill Liddington, University of Leeds.

ESRC Festival of Social Science (Covid Lockdown November 2020)

'Mapping Women's Suffrage and Me: Researching your Family History' Live talk with local & family researchers Clare Wichbold (Herefordshire) & Margaret Scott (Northumberland) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAHOLJv47f0&t=2s

'Suffrage Music & Songs: Empowering Voices Past & Present' talk (with Prof. Sarah Richardson & featuring Coventry music trio 'The Pips') https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gddhE22POJ4

'In Conversation with Coventry Atlas' Interview with Dr Ben Kyneswood (University of Coventry) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nr1cFQdSRek

'Sharing Suffrage Stories: Mapping Women's Suffrage and 'Our Ethel' in Kent' talk produced in collaboration with local historian Jennifer Godfrey, Kent school student Isabeau Kemp, Sarah Kemp (her mum), and 'Our Ethel's' ancestors https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hd5oQ1gKIw4

Academic Roles

2025/26

Teaching Fellow, Modern British History, University of Warwick.

Convener & tutor: Feminism, Politics and Social Change in Modern BritainLink opens in a new window

Lecturer: Making of the Modern WorldLink opens in a new window

Student Research & Engagement Officer

2024/25

Teaching Fellow, Modern British History, University of Warwick

Project Organiser: LEGO Suffragette 2025 Exhibition & Events, WarwickLink opens in a new window

Tutor: Britain in the Twentieth Century: A Social HistoryLink opens in a new window

2023/24

Fellow, Warwick Institute of Engagement, University of Warwick

Honorary Research Fellow, History, University of Warwick

History PhD Awarded, University of Warwick - 'Redrawing Boundaries: Suffrage Artists, Spatiality, Gender & Power' (PhD eportfolioLink opens in a new window)

2021

Research Project Coordinator, BWAN, University of York

2019/21

Research Assistant, University of Warwick (passim)

2018/2019

Historical Researcher, Resources & Database Creator & Coordinator, Women's Suffrage Resources: History & Citizenship Project Link opens in a new window(funded by HM Government, Historical Association & Association for Citizenship Teaching)

2017/2018

Lecturer ‘Access to University’, Dudley College, Dudley, West Midlands.

Select Awards & Training

First Place Winner, Warwick Open Research Awards 2025Link opens in a new window, Arts Category, University of Warwick

Impact Grant, £500, University of Warwick

Future Leaders in Impact, Arts Impact, University of Warwick, 2024-25

Digital Arts & Humanities Lab Award, University of Warwick, November 2023 (nominated to DAHL Hall of Fame Heroes for outstanding contributionLink opens in a new window)

Bursary Award (Alan Turing Institute, University of Durham, University of Warwick) Delegate, Unlocking Digital Heritage & Creative Industries through Data Science & AI, Henley Business School, University of Reading, June 2023

Online Engagement (training & certification) via Dr Jamie Gallagher, Engagement Trainer & Consultant

Doctoral Fellowship Award, Humanities Research Centre, University of Warwick

PGA IAPP Teaching Award (with exam board letter of commendation) University of Warwick.

Callum MacDonald Research Award, University of Warwick

Mentoring & Training Award, University of Warwick.

Visual Sources Training for Historians, training & certification, Institute of Historical Research

Recent Activities & Memberships

Current Volunteer lead & URSS supervisorLink opens in a new window Mapping Women's SuffrageLink opens in a new window

Current Volunteer 'Drumbeat to 2028' Women in Parliament APPG Political Women by Constituency ProjectLink opens in a new window with Centenary Action

‘Round table Discussion on Disabled Women’s History’ Attendee, Women’s History Network Seminar Series, December 2023.

Round table Advisory Meeting & Best Practice Workshop 'Sites of Feminist Memory: A Citizen Science Project', IMERA, University of Marseilles, France, 21-23 November, 2023.

Member of the UK Disability History & Heritage Hub.

Member of the Women’s History Network.

Member of the Royal Historical Society.

Member of the Global Suffrage History Collaborative, Simmons University, Boston.

Member of Sex: Queer Research Network, University of Warwick.

Member of the Migration, Identity, and Translation Network, University of Warwick.