WSPU - The Role of Individuals Within the WSPU?

Question 1

Emmeline Pankhurst - Who was Emmeline Pankhurst?

Answer 1

Emmeline Pankhurst was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist in Manchester – she was heavily involved in politics as a member of the Liberal Party

Question 2

Emmeline Pankhurst - What did she do in 1889?

Answer 2

In 1889 Emmeline formed the Women’s Franchise League – although this achieved some success in extending female suffrage in local elections, by 1903 her frustration led to the creation of the more militant WSPU

Question 3

Emmeline Pankhurst - What type of leader was she, EGs, comparison to NUWSS, effect this had?

Answer 3

She was a dictatorial leader, and personally made the majority of decisions (EG barring men from having a central role in the WSPU) – the leadership of the NUWSS was more democratic – Pankhurst’s stubborn side and leadership style caused some members to leave the WSPU

Question 4

Emmeline Pankhurst - Emmeline’s role in WSPU tactics?

Answer 4

Emmeline also directed WSPU tactics – in 1905, she relocated the WSPU from Manchester to London to be more central – during periods of militancy, she led marches and gave public speeches – she was imprisoned several times and took the lead in hunger strikes

Question 5

Emmeline Pankhurst - What did she do in 1913?

Answer 5

In 1913, when some of the WSPU left the movement (including her own daughter Adela) over unhappiness with the level of militarism, Emmeline’s strong leadership held the group together

Question 6

Christabel Pankhurst - Who was Christabel?

Answer 6

Christabel, Emmeline’s eldest daughter, joined the WSPU when it was formed – she has studied law at Manchester University, but was unable to practise professionally because she was a woman

Question 7

Christabel Pankhurst - Attitudes towards radicalism?

Answer 7

Christabel was particularly radical from the beginning – in 1905 she was arrested, along with Annie Kenney, for disrupting a Liberal Party meeting – they chose to go to prison instead of paying a fine, which created an upsurge in support

Question 8

Christabel Pankhurst - What did she work as, when was she imprisoned, and what did she do from 1913-14?

Answer 8

Christabel worked as the secretary for the WSPU, which involved organising meetings and protests – she was imprisoned in 1907 and 1909 and exiled herself to France in 1913-14 to avoid prison under the ‘Cat and Mouse’ Act

Question 9

Christabel Pankhurst - Role in maintaining militancy and focus of the group?

Answer 9

She was crucial in maintaining militancy – she also kept the party focused on female suffrage by opposing efforts of other members to involve them in different campaigns such as health for working women

Question 10

Sylvia Pankhurst - Who was Sylvia?

Answer 10

Sylvia, Christabel’s sister, also supported the WSPU, joining in 1906 – as an artist she played a crucial role in designing many posters, journal covers and banners

Question 11

Sylvia Pankhurst - Attitude towards the militancy of the group?

Answer 11

She supported the militant campaigns and went to prison herself in 1906 and 1913, when she was arrested three times and spent two months in prison where she joined the hunger strikes – however she never fully supported the militancy, especially the arson campaigns of 1913

Question 12

Sylvia Pankhurst - Situation with the ILP and attitude towards working class women?

Answer 12

Unlike her mothers and sister, Sylvia kept a working relationship with the Labour Party, through a close personal relationship with Kier Hardie – she disliked the way that Emmeline and Christabel were ignoring working class women in favour of middle class support

Question 13

Sylvia Pankhurst - What did she do in 1913?

Answer 13

In 1913, she left the WSPU and formed the East London Federation of Suffragettes, later known at the Women’s Suffrage Federation – this militant movement brought a lot of needed support from working-class women

Question 14

Sylvia Pankhurst - Arrests from 1913-14?

Answer 14

Sylvia was arrested 8 times from 1913-14 – her arrests often led to fighting between her supporters and the police – this brought extra attention to the WSPU campaign, as well as damaging some middle class support for the movement

Question 15

Emily Davison - Who was Emily Davison?

Answer 15

Emily Davison had studied at Oxford and was a teacher until she became a full-time protesters upon joining the WSPU in 1906 – she regularly took part in militant activities and served several prison sentences

Question 16

Emily Davison - What did she do in 1909 and what did this result in?

Answer 16

In 1909, she threw rocks at the carriage of Lloyd George which led to a month in prison – she went on hunger strike and locked herself into her cell – the prison warden used a hose to flood the room, nearly drowning her, after which she sued the governor of the prison – this was publicised nationally

Question 17

Emily Davison - How did she die?

Answer 17

More famously, she died by throwing herself in front of the King’s horse at the 1913 Derby – this is usually assumed to be a deliberate suicide – however, she was carrying WSPU rosettes and a return train ticket, indicating that this may have been a failed attempt to tag the horse with WSPU colours

Question 18

Emily Davison - What did her death show?

Answer 18

Her death was publicised in the newspapers and showed how far suffragettes were willing to go to achieve universal suffrage