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| THE
SUFFRAGETTES | |
The WSPU, Women's Social and Political Union, was
formed in 1903 by Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia.
The Daily Mail made fun of the WSPU by calling the Suffragettes.
Formed out of frustration at the lack of success of the suffragist campaign, the
WSPU became more militant. As years passed, with increasing disappointment, they
moved from peaceful protest to violence.
Arrested, tried and imprisoned
for their protests, the suffragettes embarrassed the authorities by going on hunger
strike. In an attempt to prevent the suffragettes harming themselves the prison
authorities force fed many women, sometimes causing injury and risking death.
Eventually,
the Government passed the Prisoners' Temporary Discharge Act, or "Cat and Mouse"
Act. This allowed women to be released, regain their strength and then be re-arrested
to complete their sentence. Often before re-arrest these women escaped police
surveillance and joined in further protests.
There are five sources
in this section.
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| Source 3A & 3B | | |
| Source 3A and 3B
describe the actions of suffragettes in Scotland.
Click to enlarge the
images, then answer the following question.
Questions
- Compare Sources 3A and 3B as evidence of the methods used by suffragettes
to win the vote.
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| Source 3C | | |
| Source 3C is the
indictment of Ethel Moorhead and Dorothea Chalmers-Smith at the High Court in
Glasgow in 1912.
Click to enlarge the image, then answer the following
question.
Questions
- How valuable is Source
3.C as evidence of suffragettes protest to gain the vote in the early 20th century?
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| Source 3D | | |
| Source 3D is a
letter to the prison commissioners for Scotland. They had asked for a professional
opinion on force feeding so they could report on it to the Secretary for Scotland.
Click to enlarge the image, then answer the following questions.
Questions
- Describe the method of force feeding
mentioned in the source.
- List three types of food which were
fed to women.
- How long did this process take according to the
source?
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| Source 3E | | |
| Source 3E is from
an official record of Suffragettes placed in Scottish prisons. Look for the entry
for Edith Johnstone.
Click to enlarge the image, then answer the following
questions.
Questions
- What other names
was she known by? Can you suggest a reason she had so many names?
- How many times did she go on hunger strike? Was she ever force fed and, if
so, for how long?
- Why was she released in October 1913?
- Is Source 3E reliable as evidence of the treatment of Suffragettes in Scottish
prisons before 1914? Give reasons for your answer.
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