Suffragette+Tactics

**Suffragette Tactics**
Parliament opened on 23rd October 1906. A group of suffragettes immediately went to the House of Commons and were determined to get a promise that women would get the vote. However, their request was turned down. In response, several women climbed on to the seats in the lobby of the House of Commons to make protest speeches, and others linked arms to protect them. The police were called in, and 10 women were arrested. They went to prison for 2 months which gave the WSPU much-needed attention.

Most of the Suffragette tactics relied on the publicity and attention given by the media. Most of them were peaceful, but some women went further than protesting and became more violent.

Marches
The Suffragettes sometimes marched in certain areas to try and get their point across. An example of a march is "The Mud March" of 1907. It was organised by the NUWSS and happened on the 9th February. Over 3000 women marched from Hyde Park to Exeter Hall. Bands played music to accompany them and the banners they held represented over 40 different womens' organisations. However, it was bad weather that day and was nicknamed "The Mud March". During the march, the Labour Party leader, Keir Hardie and the writer H.G. Wells made speeches in support of the women. Millicent Fawcett, leader of the NUWSS said (about the weather), " The London weather did its worst against us; mud, mud, mud, was its prominent feature, and it was known among us afterwards as the 'mud march.'



Marches usually consisted of a large number of Suffragettes holding banners. They could walk for miles and miles to get their points heard; but doing this, many of them were arrested. However, it was a very effective method of grabbing the media's attention.

Smashing Windows
The Suffragettes also resulted to more violent methods later on in their campaign. They smashed many windows during their campaign. It was after a campaign in Hyde Park, and hours of police violence, that the Suffragettes threw their first stones...

... THROUGH THE WINDOWS OF 10 DOWNING STREET!

//Counterfire - "//Mary Leigh was one of the first two window smashing suffragettes. She was a working-class woman with a deep commitment to militancy."

Hunger Strikes
When they were arrested, the Suffragettes still managed to announce their opinions to the world. They would go on hunger strikes in prison. Many had a tube stuck up their nose and down into their stomach and food was forced into them. Marion Wallace Dunlop was the first Suffragette to have been forced-fed in 1909. It grabbed the media's attention as it proved how determined the Suffragettes were and how much they would do for what they believed in. The authorities released the "Cat And Mouse Act" (1913) which allowed them to release hunger strikers until they regained their strength and then they would re-arrest them.

The "Cat And Mouse Act" poster by the Suffragettes.

A Suffragette poster commenting on being force-fed.

Letting Off Bombs & Other Vandalism
It is believed that the Suffragettes rarely let off IED's (Improvised Explosive Devices) and burned down small buildings. However, these tactics were rarely used due to their highly destructive nature. The Suffragettes set fire to post office letter boxes from 1911 and empty buildings. The Chancellor of the Exchequer's new house was fire-bombed in 1913.

Chalking
The Suffragettes used chalk to write down the meeting times and places on roads and pavements, in their traditional colours of purple, white and green. Purple symbolised dignity, white purity, and green hope.

Museum Of London - "Emma Sproson (left) and a fellow suffragette chalking the pavement, 1907. Pavement chalking was regarded as one of the most effective means of advertising meetings. As suffragettes wrote with the purple, white and green chalk a crowd assembled to 'watch the announcement...develop under the hand of the chalker'. Suffragettes who volunteered for 'chalking parities' were advised to go in twos or threes."

Heckling Politicians At Meetings
The Suffragettes used to heckle (interrupt a public speaker with aggressive comments or abuse) politicians at meetings. This brought the media's attention as it would have caused a big stir in the political circles and forced them to think about what the Suffragettes wanted to keep people happy.

Epsom Derby - 1913
Perhaps the most famous of all the tactics used was at the Epsom Derby in 1913. Emily Davidson, a Suffragette, collided with King George V's horse during the race. It is unclear and not known whether she meant to do it on purpose or not, but it drew a lot of media attention to her and the Suffragette cause. She died in hospital due to a fractured skull and internal injuries because of the incident. However, the rider of the horse, Herbert Jones, only suffered mild concussion but said that he was "haunted by that woman's face" for so much longer. The WSPU used her as a martyrdom, and used her death to strengthen their campaign.

A picture from the scene of the accident.

The Suffragette Newspaper
The Suffragettes even made their own newspaper called "Votes For Women". They sold these newspapers on stalls and put up banners and advertisements to alert people to its presence.

A Suffragette trying to sell the "Votes For Women" newspaper in 1910.

A poster advertising the Suffragette newspaper. The poster was designed by the suffragette artist Hilda Dallas and was done in the colours of white, purple and green.

[|Click here to see the Google articles of the Suffragette Newspaper]

Products
The Suffragettes used to make postcards, jewellery, mugs and other products to advertise their campaign. They were usually decorated with the logo of the Suffragette organisation (e.g. the WSPU) and were in the colours of white, purple and green.

A WSPU pocket watch.