How did the WSPU become increasingly mililtant? Flashcards
What happened in October 1905
- petition to parliament
Why was the October 1905 petition seen as the final straw
- MPs debated other issues to avoid giving time to a women’s suffrage bill
- This was seen as the final straw - WSPU leaders took this as a sign that politics of persuasion would not work
- They would have to force the govt to grant women the vote
What action did the WSPU take from 1906 onwards
- They began heckling politicians
What happened in Autumn 1906
- Suffragettes chained themselves to the railings of Downing Street & statues in the HofC lobby
- Some then broke into the HofC lobby
Why does Pankhurst argue for the militancy which began in 1906
- All other options had been exhausted.
- Possible reaction to the repressive Liberal government (e.g. banning women from public meetings) which made it harder for women to protest peacefully so there was no realistic alternative
- Many claimed it was a response the use of force by the authorities - including police brutality
- It was also influenced by the history of British radical protests, particularly the Chartists who had used both moral and physical force
What did the WSPU first do in February 1907
- The WSPU held the first Women’s Parliament at Caxton Hall, Westminster
- They marched on parliament and were attacked by police
- 38 went to court and some were sent to Holloway prison
What did the NUWSS first do in February 1907
- NUWSS organise their first large procession-attended by over 3000 women from 40 different organisations, known as the mud-march
To what degree does the authorities cause the WSPU’s militancy
- The authorities’ coercive response arguably incites greater militancy, in some quarters
- but there is also still close links between the WSPU and other organisations and not all protests are militant
What happened in March 1907
- 76 suffragettes arrested when they attempted to storm parliament,
- in response to the failure of the Women’s Enfranchisement Bill, which wasn’t even voted on
What failed attempt at escalted militancy took place in February 1908
Christabel Pankhurst organised the ‘Trojan horse’ raid on the House of Commons, BUT IT FAILED
What was the consequence of the Trojan Horse raid on the HofC
- They were speedily ejected
- By the end of the day 54 women had been arrested
- 48 of them subsequently received two months’ imprisonment
What turning point took place in 1908
-June
- Women’s Sunday’ demonstration is organised by the WSPU at Hyde Park, London
- Attended by 250,000 people from around Britain, it is the largest-ever political rally in London
- Suffragettes turn to smashing windows in Downing Street
What turning point took place in 1908
-Autumn
- The first violent action, smashing windows, began
- Mass campaign of window-breaking
Where did the ‘Trojan Horse’ raid originate from
- The ‘Trojan horse’ raid was a response to the King’s speech (at the opening of a new parliamentary session)
- Once again, the government failed to include women’s suffrage in its programme
What was the reason for the turning point of violence within the movement
- The march was ignored by Asquith (who had become PM in April and was known to be an anti-suffragist) and other leading government politicians
- Asquith refused to acknowledge popular calls for suffrage,
- so they were were adamant in convincing the govt that orderly daily life would be disrupted until women got the right to vote
What escalated militancy within the WSPU’s campaign took place in 1909
- Christabel Pankhurst led a wave of attack on property, including:
- Windows broken in Whitehall and of London social clubs
- Damaged property of Lloyd George
- These actions led to a wave of arrests and a large number of protestors were jailed