WSPU organisation and aims: Black Friday (1910): Government attitudes:
- Differed from the NUWSS, which was an alliance - After Asquith killed the first Conciliation Bill (votes for - Conservative Party (in power 1895 – 1905: Most
of groups. The WSPU was focused around the firm property owning women), women protested in Westminster. Conservative MPs were hostile towards female suffrage,
leadership of Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst. but still saw that if property-owning women, it could
- The police and men from the public responded violently and
increase right-wing support in elections, since the 1884
- They aimed to achieve female suffrage (equal to over 100 women were arrested (including Emmeline and
Representation of the People Act had increased the
men’s suffrage); to pressure the ILP; and to free Christabel). Two women died from injuries.
number of centre-left voters. All three leaders between
women from ‘slavery’ (Christabel was keen on 1881 and 1914 were willing to consider limited female
freeing women from societal constraints). 1911:
suffrage.
Early tactics: - The Second Conciliation Bill passed.
- Liberal Party (in power 1905-22): Most members
th
- On 17 June 1911 there was a peaceful 4-mile-long march of supported female suffrage; however, the party leadership
- WSPU journal ‘The Suffragette’.
women through London celebrating the Bill being passed. was concerned that middle- and upper-class female voters
- Took part in marches such as May Day parades, would support the Conservatives. Asquith was particularly
with iconic green and purple ribbons and banners. - However, the Bill failed to become law and in November, opposed to female suffrage. Only from 1916, with Lloyd
Asquith announced a new bill aimed at male suffrage with the George as PM, did the Liberals have a leader who
- Feb 1907 – ‘Mud March’ was a large-scale protest possibility of considering female suffrage as an amendment. supported female suffrage.
march of the WSPU and the WSPU which
coincided with the opening of parliament. - The WSPU returned to militant tactics. - Labour Party: They did support female suffrage but
would not distinguish it from universal suffrage for all
- June 1908 – huge WSPU march with 30,000 1912 – 1914 increased militancy:
classes of men and women.
women (larger than NUWSS march, a week prior).
- Attacks on West End shops, post boxes, golf courses.
Government responses to militancy:
- Heckling ministers at public meetings.
- In 1913, David Lloyd George’s house was bombed.
- Police sent to break up protests and arrest women
Increased militancy:
- In 1914, Mary Richardson (just released from hunger strike) carrying out vandalism. In response some women learned
- From 1909 tactics became more militant. slashed a famous painting, ‘Rokeby Venus’, at the National jujitsu. This was difficult for the government, as they
Gallery. The paper named her ‘Slasher Mary’. wanted to oppose the violence but didn’t want photos of
- Christabel led attacks on property in 1909, e.g.,
the police manhandling women in the news.
throwing stones through windows of London - In Bristol, a uni building and two mansions were bombed.
social clubs, burning post boxes and attacking golf - During the militant campaigns of the WSPU, around 1000
- In June 1914, Emily Davison threw herself in front of the women were arrested. Many of these women went on
greens (one of Asquith’s fav golf courses in
King’s horse at the Epsom Derby. A few years prior, she was hunger strike, demanding to be acknowledged as political
Richmond was vandalised with a paper demanding
almost drowned in prison, and publicly sued the prison. prisoners, not just as criminals or ‘hysterical’ women.
votes for women stuffed in the 18th hole.
- Extreme militancy caused a decrease in public support. - Initially, brutal force feeding took place, but this made
- In 1909, 27 suffragettes were arrested for
throwing stones through windows of 10 Downing - At the outbreak of war in 1914, the Pankhurst called an end the government look very bad. So the government
Street. to the militant campaigns in favour of patriotism, and The responded to hunger strikes with an act passed in 1913,
Suffragette journal was renamed The Britannia. known as the ‘Cat and Mouse Act’. This allowed prisons to
- From 1909, hunger strikes became more
release women who were starving, and then re-arrest
frequent with women in prison protesting as they
them without trial if they committed another offence.
were denied ‘political prisoner’ status.
