Difference between revisions of "Emmeline Pankhurst" - New World Encyclopedia
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[[Image:Westminster emmeline pankhurst statue 1.jpg|thumb|Statue of Emmeline Pankhurst in [[Victoria Tower Gardens]] next to the [[Houses of Parliament]], [[Westminster]]. (January 2006)]] | [[Image:Westminster emmeline pankhurst statue 1.jpg|thumb|Statue of Emmeline Pankhurst in [[Victoria Tower Gardens]] next to the [[Houses of Parliament]], [[Westminster]]. (January 2006)]] | ||
| − | '''Emmeline Pankhurst''' | + | '''Emmeline Pankhurst''' (July 14, 1858 – June 14, 1928) was one of the founders of the British [[suffragette]] movement and one of Britain's most influential women. More than any other, the name, "Mrs Pankhurst" is associated with the struggle for the enfranchisement of British women in the period immediately preceding [[World War I]]. |
==Early Years== | ==Early Years== | ||
| Line 12: | Line 12: | ||
==Adult Life== | ==Adult Life== | ||
| − | Emmeline returned to Manchester from Paris in 1878. Shortly there after, she met Dr.Richard Marsden Pankhurst, a lawyer and committed socialist. Dr. Pankhurst was already a supporter of the [[women's suffrage]] movement. He had drafted an amendment to the Municipal Corporation Bill of 1869 that gave unmarried women heads of | + | Emmeline returned to Manchester from Paris in 1878. Shortly there after, she met Dr.Richard Marsden Pankhurst, a lawyer and committed socialist. Dr. Pankhurst was already a supporter of the [[women's suffrage]] movement. He had drafted an amendment to the Municipal Corporation Bill of 1869 that gave unmarried women heads of household the right to vote in local elections and had been the author of the ''Married Women's Property Acts'' of 1870 and 1882.<ref>http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/pankhurst_emmeline.shtml Emmeline Goulden Pankhurst (1858 - 1928)] BBC history</ref> |
In spite of a twenty one year age difference, Richard and Emmeline were attracted to one another. Her father, Richard Goulden gave his blessing and the couple married in [[Salford]] in 1879.<ref>[http://www.educationforum.co.uk/KS3_2/pank.htm Who was Emmeline Pankhurst] educationforum.co.uk</ref> | In spite of a twenty one year age difference, Richard and Emmeline were attracted to one another. Her father, Richard Goulden gave his blessing and the couple married in [[Salford]] in 1879.<ref>[http://www.educationforum.co.uk/KS3_2/pank.htm Who was Emmeline Pankhurst] educationforum.co.uk</ref> | ||
| − | Four children were born to Richard and Emmeline in the first six years of their marriage. They were Christabel, (born 1880), Sylvia (born 1882), Friank (born 1884 and Adela (born 1885). | + | Four children were born to Richard and Emmeline in the first six years of their marriage. They were Christabel, (born 1880), Sylvia (born 1882), Friank (born 1884) and Adela (born 1885). |
==Leadership Role in Suffrage== | ==Leadership Role in Suffrage== | ||
| − | In 1889, Mrs. Pankhurst founded the ''Women's Franchise League'', a pressure group. | + | In 1889, Mrs. Pankhurst founded the ''Women's Franchise League'', a pressure group. |
| − | + | As a Poor Law Guardian, Emmeline made regular visits in 1895 to a local workhouse. She was shocked by the miserable conditions and suffering of the inmates. Her concern about the treatment of the women served to reinforce her conviction that women's suffrage was the answer to solving these societal problems. | |
| − | In 1903 she founded the better-known [[Women's Social and Political Union]]. The organization | + | Both Richard and Emmeline were very active in the Independent Labour Party. Richard ran unsuccessfully several times for the House of Commons. Sadly, his political career, Emmeline's activism and their life together were interrupted when Richard fell ill and died of a perforated ulcer in 1898.<ref>educationforum para 4</ref> |
| + | |||
| + | Following Richard's passing, Emmeline resumed her political activism. Over the next few years, she became increasingly disillusioned with the established women's political organizations' ability to bring about change. In 1903 she founded the better-known [[Women's Social and Political Union]]. Initially, Emmeline's vision for the organization was the recruitment of working class women to work for the right to vote. The organization later became famous for its militancy, which began in 1905 with acts of civil disobedience.<ref>BBC para 4</ref> Members included [[Annie Kenney]], [[Emily Wilding Davison]] who was killed by the King's horse in the 1913 Epsom Derby as the result of a suffragette protest, and the composer Dame [[Ethel Smyth]].<ref>educationforum</ref><ref>[http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/emily_wilding_davison.htm Emily Wilding Davison] historylearningsite.co.uk</ref><ref>[http://www.ibiblio.org/cheryb/women/dame-ethel.html Dame Ethel Smyth] ibiblio.org</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Emmeline was joined in the movement by her daughters, [[Christabel Pankhurst]] and [[Sylvia Pankhurst]], both of whom made a substantial contribution to the campaign in different ways.<ref>[http://womenshistory.about.com/od/suffrageengland/p/pankhurst.htm Emmeline Pankhurst] about.com, Jone Johnson Lewis, para 11</ref> Christabel and colleague Annie Kenney committed one of the first acts of civil disobedience by the WSPU in London during the fall of 1905 at a talk by Sir Edward Grey, a government minister. As he spoke, the two women cried out "Will the Liberal Government give votes to women?" The women refused to stop shouting so were thrown out of the meeting by police. A struggle with police ensued and the women were arrested and charged with assault. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Christabel and Annie were found guilty and fined but refused to pay their fines. They were sent to prison, shocking the nation. This was the first time that British women had resorted to violence while trying to win the vote. | ||
Pankhurst's younger daughter, [[Adela Pankhurst]] emigrated to [[Australia]] where she was politically active first in the [[Communist Party of Australia]] and then the [[fascist]] [[Australia First Movement]].<ref>[http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/1996/251/251p27.htm From Fabian to fascist] Phil Shannon's review of Adela Pankhurst: The Wayward Suffragette 1885-1961</ref> | Pankhurst's younger daughter, [[Adela Pankhurst]] emigrated to [[Australia]] where she was politically active first in the [[Communist Party of Australia]] and then the [[fascist]] [[Australia First Movement]].<ref>[http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/1996/251/251p27.htm From Fabian to fascist] Phil Shannon's review of Adela Pankhurst: The Wayward Suffragette 1885-1961</ref> | ||
| − | Mrs Pankhurst's tactics for drawing attention to the movement led to her being imprisoned several times. Because of her high profile, at first she did not endure the same deprivations as many of the imprisoned working-class suffragettes. However, she did experience force-feeding after going on [[hunger strike]] on various occasions. | + | Mrs Pankhurst's tactics for drawing attention to the movement led to her being imprisoned several times. Because of her high profile, at first she did not endure the same deprivations as many of the imprisoned working-class suffragettes. However, she did experience force-feeding after going on [[hunger strike]]s on various occasions. Emmeline's acts of civil disobedience inspired many women, but her approach to the campaign did not endear her to everyone. There were splits within the movement as a result. |
| + | |||
| + | Her autobiography, ''My Own Story'', was published in 1914. | ||
| − | In 1914, the First World War broke out | + | ==Support for the War Effort== |
| + | |||
| + | In 1914, the First World War broke out. Emmeline and her colleagues felt that nothing should interfere with Britain's efforts to win. All attempts to gain votes for women were put on hold. Her efforts were directed to urging women to take over men's jobs, so that the men could go and fight in the war. With back up from [[David Lloyd George]], she organized a parade of 30,000 women, using £2,000 funding from the government, to encourage employers to let women take over men's jobs in industry. In 1916, this allowed the government to draft all able-bodied men into the armed services. | ||
"Characteristically, Mrs. Pankhurst threw all her energies and all her influence into the effort, which now, designated itself pro-war and pro-conscription. Although, not all of the members of the suffrage movement backed the war, Mrs. Pankhurst’s influence swayed many to follow her lead. Giving its energies wholly to the prosecution of the War, it rushed to a furious extreme, its Chauvinism unexampled amongst all the other women’s societies" (Pankhurst, Sylvia 593). | "Characteristically, Mrs. Pankhurst threw all her energies and all her influence into the effort, which now, designated itself pro-war and pro-conscription. Although, not all of the members of the suffrage movement backed the war, Mrs. Pankhurst’s influence swayed many to follow her lead. Giving its energies wholly to the prosecution of the War, it rushed to a furious extreme, its Chauvinism unexampled amongst all the other women’s societies" (Pankhurst, Sylvia 593). | ||
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Enlistment of the unenlisted was of the highest priority. As Sylvia Pankhurst points out in her chronicle, "''The Suffragette Movement''", her mother and sister rallied their followers in an effort to reroute the militant momentum which they had so successfully orchestrated in the struggle for suffrage: | Enlistment of the unenlisted was of the highest priority. As Sylvia Pankhurst points out in her chronicle, "''The Suffragette Movement''", her mother and sister rallied their followers in an effort to reroute the militant momentum which they had so successfully orchestrated in the struggle for suffrage: | ||
| − | On September 8, 1914, Christabel re-appeared at the London Opera House, after her long exile, to utter a declaration, not on women’s enfranchisement, but on "The German Peril". Mrs. Pankhurst toured the country, making recruiting speeches. Her supporters handed the white feather to every young man they encountered wearing civilian dress, and bobbed up at Hyde Park meetings with placards | + | On September 8, 1914, Christabel re-appeared at the London Opera House, after her long exile, to utter a declaration, not on women’s enfranchisement, but on "The German Peril". Mrs. Pankhurst toured the country, making recruiting speeches. Her supporters handed the white feather to every young man they encountered wearing civilian dress, and bobbed up at Hyde Park meetings with placards that said, "Intern Them All". |
| − | Britain started to implement voting rights for women | + | ==Achieving Women's Right to Vote== |
| + | |||
| + | Britain started to implement voting rights for women in the same year as Ireland, in March 1918. The [[Representation of the People Act 1918]] only gave voting rights to women over 30, and that with a property qualification. In contrast, all men over 21 were enfranchised. Nevertheless The Suffragettes saw it as a great victory. In November 1918, women over 21 were given the right to become Members of Parliament. This led to a situation where a woman could be an MP even though she was too young to vote. Women finally achieved equal voting rights to men in the UK in 1928. | ||
Emmeline Pankhurst died at the age of 69, ten years after seeing her most ardently pursued goal come to fruition. | Emmeline Pankhurst died at the age of 69, ten years after seeing her most ardently pursued goal come to fruition. | ||
Revision as of 22:41, 17 July 2006
Emmeline Pankhurst (July 14, 1858 – June 14, 1928) was one of the founders of the British suffragette movement and one of Britain's most influential women. More than any other, the name, "Mrs Pankhurst" is associated with the struggle for the enfranchisement of British women in the period immediately preceding World War I.
Early Years
She was born Emmeline Goulden in Manchester, England to abolitionist and successful businessman Robert Goulden and feminist Sophia Crane. Emmeline's mother began taking her to suffrage meetings when she was a young teenager.
Even though her parents had very progressive ideas in the political arena, their ideas about education were conventional. After attending school in Manchester, at the age of fifteen her parents sent her to a finishing school in Paris.
Adult Life
Emmeline returned to Manchester from Paris in 1878. Shortly there after, she met Dr.Richard Marsden Pankhurst, a lawyer and committed socialist. Dr. Pankhurst was already a supporter of the women's suffrage movement. He had drafted an amendment to the Municipal Corporation Bill of 1869 that gave unmarried women heads of household the right to vote in local elections and had been the author of the Married Women's Property Acts of 1870 and 1882.[1]
In spite of a twenty one year age difference, Richard and Emmeline were attracted to one another. Her father, Richard Goulden gave his blessing and the couple married in Salford in 1879.[2]
Four children were born to Richard and Emmeline in the first six years of their marriage. They were Christabel, (born 1880), Sylvia (born 1882), Friank (born 1884) and Adela (born 1885).
Leadership Role in Suffrage
In 1889, Mrs. Pankhurst founded the Women's Franchise League, a pressure group.
As a Poor Law Guardian, Emmeline made regular visits in 1895 to a local workhouse. She was shocked by the miserable conditions and suffering of the inmates. Her concern about the treatment of the women served to reinforce her conviction that women's suffrage was the answer to solving these societal problems.
Both Richard and Emmeline were very active in the Independent Labour Party. Richard ran unsuccessfully several times for the House of Commons. Sadly, his political career, Emmeline's activism and their life together were interrupted when Richard fell ill and died of a perforated ulcer in 1898.[3]
Following Richard's passing, Emmeline resumed her political activism. Over the next few years, she became increasingly disillusioned with the established women's political organizations' ability to bring about change. In 1903 she founded the better-known Women's Social and Political Union. Initially, Emmeline's vision for the organization was the recruitment of working class women to work for the right to vote. The organization later became famous for its militancy, which began in 1905 with acts of civil disobedience.[4] Members included Annie Kenney, Emily Wilding Davison who was killed by the King's horse in the 1913 Epsom Derby as the result of a suffragette protest, and the composer Dame Ethel Smyth.[5][6][7]
Emmeline was joined in the movement by her daughters, Christabel Pankhurst and Sylvia Pankhurst, both of whom made a substantial contribution to the campaign in different ways.[8] Christabel and colleague Annie Kenney committed one of the first acts of civil disobedience by the WSPU in London during the fall of 1905 at a talk by Sir Edward Grey, a government minister. As he spoke, the two women cried out "Will the Liberal Government give votes to women?" The women refused to stop shouting so were thrown out of the meeting by police. A struggle with police ensued and the women were arrested and charged with assault.
Christabel and Annie were found guilty and fined but refused to pay their fines. They were sent to prison, shocking the nation. This was the first time that British women had resorted to violence while trying to win the vote.
Pankhurst's younger daughter, Adela Pankhurst emigrated to Australia where she was politically active first in the Communist Party of Australia and then the fascist Australia First Movement.[9]
Mrs Pankhurst's tactics for drawing attention to the movement led to her being imprisoned several times. Because of her high profile, at first she did not endure the same deprivations as many of the imprisoned working-class suffragettes. However, she did experience force-feeding after going on hunger strikes on various occasions. Emmeline's acts of civil disobedience inspired many women, but her approach to the campaign did not endear her to everyone. There were splits within the movement as a result.
Her autobiography, My Own Story, was published in 1914.
Support for the War Effort
In 1914, the First World War broke out. Emmeline and her colleagues felt that nothing should interfere with Britain's efforts to win. All attempts to gain votes for women were put on hold. Her efforts were directed to urging women to take over men's jobs, so that the men could go and fight in the war. With back up from David Lloyd George, she organized a parade of 30,000 women, using £2,000 funding from the government, to encourage employers to let women take over men's jobs in industry. In 1916, this allowed the government to draft all able-bodied men into the armed services.
"Characteristically, Mrs. Pankhurst threw all her energies and all her influence into the effort, which now, designated itself pro-war and pro-conscription. Although, not all of the members of the suffrage movement backed the war, Mrs. Pankhurst’s influence swayed many to follow her lead. Giving its energies wholly to the prosecution of the War, it rushed to a furious extreme, its Chauvinism unexampled amongst all the other women’s societies" (Pankhurst, Sylvia 593).
Enlistment of the unenlisted was of the highest priority. As Sylvia Pankhurst points out in her chronicle, "The Suffragette Movement", her mother and sister rallied their followers in an effort to reroute the militant momentum which they had so successfully orchestrated in the struggle for suffrage:
On September 8, 1914, Christabel re-appeared at the London Opera House, after her long exile, to utter a declaration, not on women’s enfranchisement, but on "The German Peril". Mrs. Pankhurst toured the country, making recruiting speeches. Her supporters handed the white feather to every young man they encountered wearing civilian dress, and bobbed up at Hyde Park meetings with placards that said, "Intern Them All".
Achieving Women's Right to Vote
Britain started to implement voting rights for women in the same year as Ireland, in March 1918. The Representation of the People Act 1918 only gave voting rights to women over 30, and that with a property qualification. In contrast, all men over 21 were enfranchised. Nevertheless The Suffragettes saw it as a great victory. In November 1918, women over 21 were given the right to become Members of Parliament. This led to a situation where a woman could be an MP even though she was too young to vote. Women finally achieved equal voting rights to men in the UK in 1928.
Emmeline Pankhurst died at the age of 69, ten years after seeing her most ardently pursued goal come to fruition.
Writings (selection)
- The Powers and Duties of Poor Law Guardians in Times of Exceptional Distress, 1895.
- The Present Position of the Women’s Suffrage Movement in: The Case for Women’s Suffrage, hg.v. B. Villiers, 1907.
- The Importance of the Vote, 1908.
- Suffrages Speeches from the Dock, 1912.
- My own Story (1914), Reissued by Greenwood in the redwoods hehe Publishing Group, 1985.
Secondary literature
- Linda Hoy, Profiles: Emmeline Pankhurst, 1985
- Martin Pugh, The Pankhursts, Penguin 2002
- Sylvia Pankhurst, The Suffragette Movement: An Intimate Account of Persons and Ideals, Reissued in 1984 by Chatto & Windus
- June Purvis Emmeline Pankhurst: a biography Routledge, 2002
Rockstars have kidnapped my son!!
See also
- Pankhurst Centre in Manchester
- Marriage to Dr Richard Pankhurst, 1879
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/pankhurst_emmeline.shtml Emmeline Goulden Pankhurst (1858 - 1928)] BBC history
- ↑ Who was Emmeline Pankhurst educationforum.co.uk
- ↑ educationforum para 4
- ↑ BBC para 4
- ↑ educationforum
- ↑ Emily Wilding Davison historylearningsite.co.uk
- ↑ Dame Ethel Smyth ibiblio.org
- ↑ Emmeline Pankhurst about.com, Jone Johnson Lewis, para 11
- ↑ From Fabian to fascist Phil Shannon's review of Adela Pankhurst: The Wayward Suffragette 1885-1961
de:Emmeline Pankhurst et:Emmeline Pankhurst es:Emmeline Pankhurst eo:Emmeline Pankhurst eu:Emmeline Pankhurst fr:Emmeline Pankhurst it:Emmeline Pankhurst nl:Emmeline Pankhurst ja:エメリン・パンクハースト no:Emmeline Pankhurst pt:Emmeline Pankhurst sr:Емелин Панкхерст sv:Emmeline Pankhurst
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