Emily Wilding Davison and Morpeth - Our Local Suffragette.

Our local Suffragette.....

Emily Wilding Davison was born on the 11th October 1872 at Roxburgh House, Greenwich, South East London. Her parents were Charles Davison and Margaret Davison nee Cailsley, who were both from Morpeth.

Charles was married before and had nine children, unfortunately his first wife died in 1866, the marriage to Margaret was his second. When they were married in 1868 Charles was 45 years old and Margaret was 19, Emily was the third of four children that they would have. 

Charles died in 1893 putting quite a financial burden on the family, Emily was at the Royal Holloway College at this time studying literature and doing very well, she was a very bright student, but she would have to end her studies as they became unaffordable.

Emily in 1893.

Working as a governess she managed to save enough money to fund her further education at St. Hugh's College, Oxford, where she achieved a first in English, but was unable to graduate as degrees were unavailable to women.

She would become a private tutor in Edgbaston, Worthing and Northamptonshire, and would finally gain her degree in 1908 from the University of London. Meanwhile, in 1906, Emily Davison joined the Women's Social and Political Union (W.S.P.U).

The W.S.P.U had been formed in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst, and from the outset it was to be a militant and confrontational organisation, quite different to the suffrage movement of Millicent Fawcett, the N.U.W.S.S. Davison fitted in perfectly, she left teaching in 1908, and became a permanent fixture in the W.S.P.U, in March 1909 she was arrested for the first time during a demonstration in London, and that August she found herself in Morpeth.

The Market Square, Morpeth, Tuesday 31st August 1909.

(Morpeth Herald 4th September 1909)

Suffragette Addresses A Morpeth Meeting. 

Miss Emily Davison, one of the ladies who recently attracted public attention by their "hunger strike" policy in Holloway Prison, addressed a meeting in furtherance of the woman suffrage movement, in the Morpeth Market Place on Tuesday evening. Miss Davison, who is at present on a visit to Longhorsley, was formerly a resident in Morpeth. She is a B.A of London University, and is most accomplished and effective platform speaker. Her address, which occupied about half an hour, was listened to with close attention by a good size crowd.

Councillor Robert C. Oliver, who presided, explained in his opening remarks that his presence on such a platform must not be taken to indicate his approval of some of the methods adopted by Miss Davison and her co-workers with the object of achieving the cause of woman suffrage.

On the general question of the political rights of women, he believed in the old Liberal doctrine that representation and taxation ought to go together; and he believed, moreover, that great reforms must be won by constitutional means.

The Holloway Brooch.

Miss Davison, in the course of her speech, said that whatever might be the differences of opinion as to the methods of the suffragettes, no one could deny that as a result of what they had done recently the cause of woman suffrage had been made a real living question - a question which would have to be dealt with at no distant date. She denied the charges of violence that had been levelled against them, and contended that they were simply attempting to appeal to the reason of the country.

Besides, when people talked of violence of various sorts that was associated with the efforts of men to obtain the franchise. Men had only been able to secure the various Reform Bills and the franchise as a result of great and deplorable violence, and this ought to be remembered when the tactics of the women of today were under consideration.

Miss Davison proceeded to show, in some detail, the disadvantages under which women labour in various walks of life in which they now gain a livelihood. Even in the teaching profession women were paid less than were men: and in cooking - which ought to be woman's exclusive sphere - no woman could obtain the great salaries that were paid to chefs.

In reply to those who said that women who wanted the vote ought to employ constitutional means, she reminded them of the fact that for years the women had sought to get what they wanted by means of public meetings, by means of petitions of Parliament, and by participation in the work of local government. The women had for long done the dirty work for candidates at election times - as a matter of fact it was to the efforts of the women workers that many Members of Parliament owed their success at the poll.

A Crowd in Morpeth Market Place.

But all the work that women had done in a "constitutional" way had been unavailing so far as the attainment of their political aspirations were concerned, and it had for a good while been perfectly obvious that the old "constitutional" lines were played out and that new methods must be adopted. "Our present methods," declared Miss Davison, "are not violent; they are merely political"; and she described the effect of those methods on the public as follows: "When people first read of them they are shocked, then they are induced to listen to us, next they begin to think - and when that happens we know that the battle, so far as they are concerned, is won".

Miss Davison agreed it was unfortunate that the cause of the women could not be won without what had been described as methods of violence. But she reminded her hearers that the Prime Minister and other Cabinet Ministers had refused to receive deputations of women, and that, all so called "constitutional" means having been exhausted, they had been forced to adopt a different system of forcing the attention of Parliament and of the country on the question of women's rights.  

Annie Kenny & Christabel Pankhurst, W.S.P.U.

Touching briefly on her prison experiences, Miss Davison protested against the manner in which women of culture and refinement had been treated by the authorities, and she justified the attitude that they had taken up at Holloway in reference to certain of the prison regulations. Particularly, on grounds of health, justified the breaking of prison windows, to permit of ventilation. 

She remarked it had been said that the cause of women's rights would not be won until a woman had died in prison as a martyr to her convictions. "Well," observed Miss Davison, "we have only to die once, and how could a woman die better than in an effort to bring to accomplishment the great cause of her sisters?"  (Prophetic words indeed!)

Miss Davison was heartilly applauded at the close of her address. Questions were invited, but none was forthcoming.

The Gentle Suffragettes.

(Morpeth Herald 11th September 1909)

It is of local interest to note that Miss Emily Davison, B.A., of Longhorsley, who addressed a meeting at Morpeth last week, under the auspices of the W.P.S.U, has since then been committed to prison, as a result of being concerned in the efforts to disturb Mr Birrell's meeting at Manchester on Saturday.

Augustine Birrell.

Augustine Birrell, Liberal Party MP who strongly opposed the militant stance of the W.S.P.U, but, he was not anti-suffragist, he was open to talks with Millicent Fawcett's rival suffragette movement, the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (N.U.W.S.S).

Five women, of whom Miss Davison was one, flung metal balls, which have been described as "bombs," on to the glass roof of the building in which the gathering was held, and on Monday they decided to go to gaol rather than pay the fines which were inflicted as an alternative.

This is not Miss Davison's "first offence," for she participated in the "hunger strike," in Holloway Prison. A similar policy, it is reported, is being carried out on the present occasion in Strangeways Gaol, Manchester, by Miss Davison and her companions.

An Imprisoned Suffragette.

On Tuesday they were brought before one of the visiting Justices and charged with a breach of the prison regulations, and, according to the reports, they were removed to the punishment cells.

The latest phase of the suffragettes tactics - the flinging of "bombs" - will perhaps cause those who attended Miss Davison's local meeting to Particularly recall her vigorous denials of allegations of the association of violent methods with her cause. "Our tactics," said Miss Davison, "are not violent; they are merely political." Bomb throwing, we may suppose, is one of the manifestations of high politics!

A Return To The Market Square, Morpeth, Saturday 18th September 1909.

(Morpeth Herald 25th September 1909)

A meeting arranged for the purpose of giving a welcome to Miss Emily Davison, B.A., of Longhorsley, was held in the Morpeth Market Place, on Saturday. Miss Davison, it will be recalled, was some time ago imprisoned, with other suffragettes, in Holloway; and the present demonstration was to welcome her on her return from her more recent incarceration in Strangeways Gaol, Manchester, for having participated in the "bomb" throwing at Mr Birrell's meeting in that city. 

A simple way of spreading the word.

It was organised by the National Women's Social and Political Union, and some of their members, including Mrs Taylor, Chipchase Castle, Miss Williams, and Miss C. Brown made special arrangements for the occasion.

In the afternoon, a meeting was held at which Mrs Taylor and Miss Williams were the speakers. They invited those assembled to accompany them to the station to meet Miss Davison. Headed by a brass band, the above named ladies and others drove in a brake to the railway station to await Miss Davison's arrival. Upon two of the banners displayed were the words "Welcome Northumbrian Hunger Striker," and "Votes For Women."

On her arrival Miss Davison was escorted to a carriage drawn by two horses, and she "drove in state," followed by a brake load of suffragists, the band leading the procession to the Market Place. There a large crowd of people assembled. Mrs Taylor presided over the meeting. Miss Davison, in the course of her remarks, related her experiences of her four day's hunger strike while in Strangeways Prison, Manchester. She received a patient and sympathetic hearing.

Miss Davison said a little over a fortnight ago she had had the pleasure of speaking to them in that Market Place. Since then she had gone down, as many of her own people had done, into the valley of the shadow; "only to come up again," she smilingly remarked, "to join my brave comrades in the fighting line."

Emily proudly wearing her hunger strike medal and Holloway Brooch.

She emphasised the fact that theirs was a political fight. Their methods were not violent. If they had advanced another stage lately it was the fault of the present Government, who in their obstinacy would not read the signs of the times.

She would tell them why they had gone that step further. They knew that some of their number had been brought up for throwing stones. No doubt they wanted to know why they had done so. Well, there was a great campaign being carried on all over this country. It was the budget campaign, and they knew as well as she did that women would be as much affected as the men by this budget, therefore they had no right to keep them out of these meetings.

Proceeding, she said there was a large meeting at Manchester, and another at Birmingham the previous evening. Only a few women were admitted after they had signed a pledge. It was insulting to their womanhood, but she expressed the opinion that they did not know what they were doing when they signed that pledge.

"If you went to a great budget meeting would you be satisfied if at the door you were met by stewards, who said;: "We will not allow you to come in unless you promise to ask no questions, or unless you are free traders," Would you tolerate it? No. You would force your way into the hall. We have not the physical force to get in like that as you men. We had to do our best in other ways, and we did it at Manchester. I had one stone to which was attached a label, and on that label I had written 'Votes For Women.' That was the stone that first went into the hall. As I have said before, it is the fault of the Government if we have to advance in our methods, and it will be their fault if we have to go further." 

Continuing, she said that the person who was responsible, most of all, for their tactics and their present position was Mr Asquith (the Prime Minister) himself. He was the only obstacle now in the way of their getting their just rights. Now that this Government was still in power they must somehow make them feel that they, as Liberals, before they went out, must show they had not put aside their great and noble maxim of the past. They must, if they could, make them give them this reform. They would rather it came from the Liberals than from the Conservatives, because, Liberals called themselves the "Apostles of Reform."

The Horror of Force Feeding.

In relating her experiences of what she called "her last hunger strike," while in Strangeways Prison, she said that it was a very clean and well kept prison. A peculiar feature, besides the cleanliness, it was the sympathy she and her companions met with from every single official, except the Governor (laughter). They made their usual protest. They said that if they were treated as first class prisoners they were quite willing to obey the prison regulations; but if they were second class they would refuse to do them.

"I was put," she added, "straight into a punishment cell of which they had heard so much - a plank bed fastened to the floor, and a tree trunk fastened to the wall to sit on. That was all we had absolutely. (laughter). When I got into the prison cell the first night, I had to try and break my window. There was no need to cause consumption among the prisoners by shutting them up in cells, of which the windows could not open." (hear, hear).

In the morning she heard a noise, and, she thought she must not be behind them. She got up, and after several attempts managed to break the cell window. The matron came in, and said she was sorry, but it was the magistrates' orders: "If you break your windows that you are to have handcuffs on." She replied: "If the order has been given, you must do your duty." Time passed slowly. They were in their cells all the time, and no exercise. Owing to breaking these window panes they were able to hear their brave companions outside, who were holding meetings.

On the call of Mrs Taylor cheers were given for Miss Davison and Miss C. Brown, also a hunger striker, and for the cause they represented.

 

Emily Davison writes to the Morpeth Herald.

(Morpeth Herald 25th September 1909)

Sir, Although I trust that my words in the Market Place, Morpeth, last Saturday have made clear to any Laodicean friends of our cause why we have thrown stones and "bombs" at recent budget meetings addressed by cabinet ministers, I still feel that there are many in the district who would like an explanation of this latest move. 

Of course, like our good friends Mr Aked (at Liverpool) and Mr Joseph John Hills (of Newbiggin) I might maintain that the men had no business to criticise our tactics, seeing the position in which we women are placed, as being politically dumb. Still, in spite of all assertions to the contrary we are preeminently logical, and like to justify ourselves.

The plain unvarnished reason here is that the Government are to blame. They are violating one of the greatest canons of political wisdom by giving those who already have a notable grievance another cause of complaint. Such action in the past has always led to serious results, witness 1867, when the Government roused the fury of the people who were clamouring for a just reform by refusing them one of the liberties of the English Constitution, for which their ancestors had fought.

I mean the right to free speech (in Hyde Park). What was the result? A determined riot and a responsible minister weeping tears of contrition because, owing to the action of his Government, the people had been forced to defy "law and order."

Even so now the Government are goading on our women by unconstitutional action, by using force to hold them back from their just right of petition and of free access to so called "public meetings" on great public questions. On whose head lies the blame if harm ensues? On this Government, which hides its head in the sand like an ostrich and refuses to observe the signs of the times.

I am, yours truly,

Emily Wilding Davison (B.A.)

Longhorsley.

Local Suffragette Once More In Court.

(Morpeth Herald 30th October 1909)

At Bury, last Thursday, Catherine Tolson, of Hale, Cheshire; Hannah Shepherd, of Rochdale; Emily Davison, of Longhorsley; and Helen Gordon Liddle, of Peaslake, Surrey, four suffragettes, were fined £2 and costs each, and ordered to pay damages for breaking windows at the Radcliffe Liberal Club, and the Radcliffe Post Office on Wednesday night, on the occasion of a meeting addressed by Mr Runciman (a Cabinet Minister). 

They declined to pay.

Local Suffragette's Prison Experience, Miss Davison Under The Hosepipe.

(Morpeth Herald 6th November 1909)

Miss Emily Davison, the victim of the hosepipe incident at Strangeways Gaol, was released at seven o'clock last Friday night. The time of her release was kept secret by the prison authorities, and a number of her friends in the W.S.P.U were thus prevented from giving her a proper welcome.

Dora Marsden being arrested

Arrangements had been made, however, that she should go to the house of Miss Dora Marsden, Chorlton Road, Manchester. Here, later in the evening, Miss Davison related to press representatives her bitter prison experiences. Miss Davison, who looked remarkably well under the circumstances, at once entered into the details of the hosepipe douche, which, she said, took place on Monday afternoon.

One of the first acts on entering the gaol was to break the window of her cell. On Monday afternoon she was taken into an adjoining cell in order that the window in her own cell could be repaired. "Directly the wardess left me," Miss Davison proceeded, "I noticed there were two long plank beds in the cell, and I at once saw how easy it would be to barricade myself. I put the two beds down, and also ramming in the stool. I then found there was still a little crevice, so I filled it in with a couple of slippers and a brush. Even then I was still afraid that the barricade would give, so I sat on the middle of it.

Soon after a wardess came and found she could not open the door. A number of other officials then came and looked through, until at last the deputy governor came. He immediately called upon me to to get up. I took no notice, so an attempt was made to batter down the door. This operation failed, and then the deputy governor called out that if I did not get off I would have the fire hose turned on me through the window.

Soon afterwards I heard a ladder being placed against the window, and a man came up and smashed the window with a fire hose. Persuasive methods were again tried, but I refused to answer. The order was promptly given to turn the hose on.

At first they could not get the hose turned on properly, but eventually they got it full tilt at me as I sat in a crouching position. I should think it lasted a quarter of an hour, although it seemed much longer. The water was icy cold, and fell on me with full force. In less than a minute I was thoroughly soaked and the cell flooded. At last I began to gasp - I could not help it. Somebody then called out: "Don't put it on again," realising, I suppose, that I had had more than enough.

Operations on the door were then resumed, but this took some considerable time, as the authorities were afraid it might fall on her. If it had done so it would probably have killed her. Eventually, however, the top hinge gave way, and two of the warders seized it just before it fell. Another warder climbed into the cell, seized her, took her off the beds, and so enabled the door to be got down. As the water streamed out of the cell a wardess hurried her away to another cell, tore her clothes off, wrapped her in blankets, and raced her along in a bath chair to the hospital.

Here she was given a hot bath, and a hot water bottle. Miss Davison further said that she was kept in bed practically until Friday.

Asked about her forcible feeding experiences, Miss Davison shuddered visibly. She, together with three other suffragists, had been forcibly fed all the time they had been imprisoned. Forcible feeding was simply barbarous, she said. They had all been forcibly fed twice a day. She had even been forcibly fed three hours before her release. Doctors, matrons, wardesses, all said forcible feeding was the most disgusting thing they had ever seen in the whole of their lives.

Miss Davison also stated that Miss Shepherd, one of the other suffragist prisoners was in hospital, and that the other two women prisoners, Miss Tolson and Miss Liddle, were both looking very bad.

Emily was awarded 40s in damages for having the hosepipe turned on her.

The year 1910 is missing from the records of the Morpeth Herald at present, so her story is told by other newspapers.

Suffragette Betrayed By A Tap.

(Edinburgh Evening News 6th April 1910)

"Put your own house in order before you interfere with the House of Lords, and appreciate our truce in this piping time of peace by giving votes for women."

This is the message which Miss Emily Davison, the suffragette who was discovered on Sunday evening about 10 o'clock, after remaining for 28 hours hidden in the heating apparatus of the House of Commons, intended to deliver to Mr Winston Churchill on Monday.

Thirst led to her discovery, she told "The Daily Mirror" yesterday, and after some hours she crept down, and, to her surprise, found a water tap just outside.

"I eagerly drank some of the water," she added, "and after I had been down a second time, the drippings of the water, which showed that the tap had been turned on, roused the watchman's suspicions. When he really saw me he thought I was the ghost of Guy Fawkes, for I was black all over my face and my clothes were very dirty, but he was more frightened than I, and he blew his whistle loudly."

Police Report - Emily Davison hides in a ventilation shaft 1910

Deeds Not Words.

(Manchester Evening News 24th June 1910)

Suffragist's Protest at the House of Lords.

Emily Davison, a teacher, was, in London, today, fined £5 and 7s 6d costs or, in default, one month's imprisonment, for wilfully breaking two panes of glass at the Crown Office of the House of Lords, yesterday.

Prime Minister H.H. Asquith.

Defendant threw at the window two large pieces of chalk, with labels bearing the words on the first "To Mr Asquith: Give full facilities for the new bill for woman's suffrage," and on the second, "To Mr Asquith: Indignant womanhood will not take this insult. Be wise!" A third label found lying beside the others bore the words "Be wise in time. Women will not be trifled with. - To Mr Asquith."

Defendant admitted that she broke the windows deliberately when she heard that the premier had refused full facilities to the Woman's Suffrage Bill. She felt deeds must take the place of words, and she believed her action to be the only protest that was likely to be understood.

It was stated that the defendant had on several occasions been convicted of assaulting and obstructing the police in Manchester and London. She was the woman who was found in the ventilating shaft of the House of Commons in April last.

Local Suffragette's Exploit.

(Morpeth Herald 14th April 1911)

Unsuccessful Plan To Evade The Census.

The door behind which Davison hid.

The suffragette who sought to evade the census (and failed) by hiding in the Crypt Chapel of the House of Commons was identified as Miss Emily Davison, the heroine of the hosepipe scene at Strangeways Prison, and the lady who covered herself in dust and glory some time ago by passing a day and a night in one of the hot air shafts of the House of Commons.

To a "Daily Dispatch" representative, who called at her residence in central London, she told the story of her 45 hour vigil in the pitch dark crypt. She laughed heartily over her adventures, but was mournful of the fact that for a second time she had been discovered and her plans frustrated.

"In addition to evading the census, I had planned to rush out and get into the House itself," she said, "I had got my message for Mr Asquith all ready."

Miss Davison hid herself on Saturday afternoon at four o'clock in a little dark chamber in the chapel, which she afterwards heard was the place where Guy Fawkes was found. She had food and drink, but she admits that the experience was very trying, and on Monday morning she was nearly discovered by an MP, who was escorting a lady over the chapel.

"He pushed open the little door of my hiding place," she said, "and peered in. I was standing bolt upright behind the door. I scarcely dared breathe, 'here's where Guy Fawkes was found.' he said. 'Most interesting,' murmured the lady, 'and do you think there are any ghosts here?' she asked. "If I had bobbed out at that moment what would have happened? I should have given them a rare shock, for I was as black as a sweep!"

"Hardly had I got over that shock when someone else came into the crypt. It was an old man. He was sweeping the chapel, and drawing nearer and nearer. As he came past he gave the door a vigorous push. It flew back, and bumped against one of the boxes. He then peered cautiously round the door and saw me."

"He drew back with a start, and then said 'Come along out of that.' I begged him not to turn me out. But he said he must do his duty, and well, of course, he must do it."

"He fetched the police. I was taken first to the inspector's room and had a wash, and then to Cannon Row Police Station. I refused my name, but they recognised me."

Miss Davison is well known in this district, being a native of Longhorsley. She has on more than one occasion pleaded the woman's suffrage cause locally.

The cupboard in which Davison hid for 45 hours.

Suffragist Tactics.

(Morpeth Herald 15th December 1911)

Alleged Attempt To Fire A Letter Box

Miss Emily Davison Arrested.

Some little excitement was caused in Parliament Street, London, yesterday morning, by a woman attempting to set fire to the contents of the Parliament Street Post Office Letter Box.

The woman, who gave the name of Emily Davison, and her address as Clement's Inn, was observed to approach the letter box, having in her hand what turned out to be a piece of linen, saturated in paraffin and wrapped in paper.

She set fire to this with a match, and was about to put it through the aperture of the letterbox when she was seized by a plain clothes officer, who had been observing her movements.

To the officer she said she had done the same sort of thing twice before that morning, and on several occasions in the city. Prisoner was remanded for a week, and the magistrate said that the doctor would report as to her condition.

Miss Emily Davison is well known in Northumberland.

Emily Davison Writes To The Morpeth Herald.

(Morpeth Herald 20th September 1912)

A Revision Court "Claim."

Sir, Those who carry out the machinery of the law have very often more sense of justice and more of a saving sense of humour than those who put the laws on the statute book. Yesterday, the revising barrister for the district visited the village to revise claims for the Parliamentary vote.

As a militant, I felt the chance not to be lost. Cutting the big "Votes For Women" heading from our W.S.P.U weekly, I supplied words above and below, so that my message ran as follows:-

MAY YOU SOON BE REVISING

       VOTES FOR WOMEN

     AS WELL AS FOR MEN!

I enclose it in an envelope, addressed "To the Revising Barrister, Longhorsley Schoolroom." The missive was entrusted to one of the school children, who came back with the message; "Tell Miss Emily Davison the claim is allowed!" Brevity is the soul of wit and the salt of life.

Yours ect

Emily Wilding Davison'

Longhorsley, Sept. 17. 1912.

A cleaning bill paid by Emily Davison in September 1912.

Not everyone was impressed, some were even quite sarcastic!

Letter To The Editor.

(Morpeth Herald 27th September 1912)

Women's Rights.

Sir, A movement, we have been told, is a curious thing. It begins in hopelessness, thrives on opposition, lives by ridicule, and then something quite simple happens as the result of years and years of apparently unproductive agitation, and the movement comes to a triumphal conclusion.

That something has turned up, on the approval and sanction of the Revising Barrister at Longhorsley to the women's rights movement, is a fact acknowledged by Miss Emily Davison. I congratulate that lady in gaining to their cause such a strong advocate.

Strangely enough when all is considered, he may have had in mind, when he endorsed that lady's message, that women have lately given voice to their pretended grievances in no uncertain way, or he may have fallen to the blandishments of the feminine gender.

I fear Miss Davison will have a harder and more stubborn rock to assail in our Cabinet Ministers.

Women's opinions, and even smashing of windows go for nothing in the face of this determined opposition, which, as a matter of fact include many of the most distinguished members of every party in the House of Commons.

A. Knox,

Bedlington Colliery.

Mr Fenwick, M.P., And Militancy.

(Morpeth Herald 11th October 1912)

Miss Laura Ainsworth, and Miss Emily Davison, of the W.S.P.U, waited upon Mr Charles Fenwick, M.P., at the Burt Hall, Newcastle, last Friday, to ascertain his views on the Franchise Reform Bill.

Charles Fenwick M.P.

The member for Wansbeck Division intimated that he was in favour of the franchise for women, and had been ever since he entered Parliament in 1885. It was one of the first questions put to him when he became a candidate for Parliament.

He would vote for the Reform Bill, but would not give the deputation any pledge to vote against the third reading if the amendments to include women in the measure were not approved by the House.

Mr Fenwick said he strongly disapproved of militant methods either on the part of men or women, and in his opinion the militant methods of a section of the suffragettes had injured their cause very considerably.

One of the ladies remarked that no great cause such as theirs had been won without strenuous efforts on the part of it's advocates; and that, therefore, until the Government of the country were willing to listen to their arguments and grant their requests they were justified in taking the line they had followed.

The strain Davison was under shows in her face.

The militancy of the miners was also alluded to by the deputation, and they spoke of the great efforts which the Chartists had to make to get the franchise in the early part of the last generation. Mr Fenwick said he did not regard these cases as at all analogous.

Whipped A Baptist Minister.

(Morpeth Herald 6th December 1912)

Miss Emily Davison Goes To Prison.

At Aberdeen Police Court, on Thursday morning, Mary Brown (alias Emily Wilding Davison), a suffragist, of Longhorsley, was charged with having whipped the Rev. F. Jackson, an Aberdeen Baptist Minister, with a riding whip, in mistake for Mr Lloyd George, on Saturday at Aberdeen joint station.

Davison at the Aberdeen court.

The  Rev. Forbes Jackson, of Crown Terrace Baptist Church, Aberdeen, gave evidence as to the assault. Cross examined by the accused, he admitted he had been offered an apology on Miss Davison's behalf, but declined to accept it. He thought an apology was due to Mr Lloyd George.

Accused, after other witnesses had given evidence, addressed the court, and admitted she had made a mistake. She did not intend to assault Mr Jackson, but Mr Lloyd George.

Accused was fined 40s, or in default, ten days' imprisonment. Accused decided to go to prison, protesting.

An autograph for an admirer in Longhorsley, 1913.

The Derby Tragedy.

(Morpeth Herald 13th June 1913)

Deeds Not Words.

Death Of Miss Emily Davison.

Miss Emily Wilding Davison, of Longhorsley, the suffragist who rushed at the King's horse during the race for the Derby, died in the hospital at Epsom at 4.50 on Sunday afternoon, without recovering consciousness.

The unused return ticket......

Her brother called at the hospital during the day. Two lady visitors, who were allowed at the bedside of the dying woman, pinned a badge of the Woman's Social and Political Union to the head of the bed and draped the screen with the colours of the union. The hospital authorities left the decorations undisturbed, and there they remained until Miss Davison passed away.

Captain Davison, brother of the deceased lady, arrived at Epsom on Saturday evening, but was not present when his sister passed away. The only persons at the bedside when death occurred were the matron of the hospital and two nurses. When Miss Davison was first admitted to hospital it was thought she was suffering from concussion, but signs of fracture of the base of the skull developed, and an operation was performed, as a last resource, by Mr Mansell Moulin. It was soon realised, however, there was no hope of recovery.

At the usual weekly meeting of the W.S.P.U, at the London Pavillion, on Monday afternoon, many of those present were attired in black, as a mark of respect to the late Miss Davison. Mrs Dacre Fox, who presided, read the following telegram, which she said had been sent to the King:-

"To His Majesty, Buckingham Palace: 

Constitutional methods of approaching our King have failed, Emily Davison has given her life to call attention to the women's passionate demands. We call upon our King to give serious attention to this appeal of womanhood."

The telegram was signed by "six loyal subjects."

Miss Mary Leigh, who spoke with emotion, said Miss Davison's last words were "Fight on; God will give us the victory."

The inquest.

The inquest on Miss Davison took place at Epsom on Tuesday. Contrary to general expectation, Herbert Jones, the King's jockey, did not attend the inquest, a medical certificate having been forwarded from Newmarket to the effect that he was too unwell to go to Epsom.

The first witness was Henry Jocelyn Davison, of Bexhill-on-sea, a retired naval officer, who gave evidence of identification. He said that Miss Davison was his half sister, he had not seen her for six months, and that she resided at Longhorsley, Northumberland. She was a spinster, with no occupation, aged 38. He was not aware that she would be in Epsom and was aware that she was prominent in the woman's suffrage movement.

In reply to the jury, witness said there was nothing to lead him to feel that his sister was abnormal on the mental side.

In reply to Mr Yates, witness said she was a person of considerable gifts, both as a speaker and as a writer. She was, in fact, a very prolific writer. He thought the reason for her action was to attract attention to the suffrage movement. In his own opinion, she had no intention of taking her own life. He thought she intentionally acted as she did, with a view of calling the attention of the public to the fact that the Government had not done justice to women.

Police Sergeant Frank Dunn, who was on duty at Tottenham Corner, said just as the horses were passing him he saw a woman rush out towards the horses, about 20 yards down the coarse near the winning post. She threw her hands up in front of the horses, and was knocked down by the King's horse. 

In reply to a juryman, witness said he did not notice anyone try to prevent her going on the course before she was knocked down. Had she wanted to cross the course, she could have done so in perfect safety by waiting two or three seconds. Witness found two suffragist flags pinned to the back of her jacket.

Constable Edey, of Walton Abbey, said he was on the upper side of the course at Tottenham Corner, about 40 yards from the straight, when he saw Miss Davison, as the leading horse was approaching, drop from the rail on which she was leaning, and her head shot under the railings just as the leading horse had passed.

In reply to the coroner, witness said that, considering the way the horses were bunched together, he did not think it was possible for anyone to pick out any particular horse as the one which knocked Miss Davison down.

The jury returned a verdict of "Death by misadventure."

Funeral At Morpeth.

The remains of Miss Davison will be taken from Epsom to London on Saturday morning, and will be escorted by a procession from Victoria to St. George's Church, Hart Street, Bloomsbury, where a service will be held. The procession will then continue from the church to King's Cross where the coffin will be entrained for Morpeth. Forming up in Buckingham Palace Road at 2pm, the procession will start punctually. The service is timed for 4 o'clock. The funeral will be at Morpeth Churchyard on Sunday.

The arrangements for the funeral at Morpeth, so far as they can be ascertained at present, are as follows: The body is due to arrive at Newcastle from King's Cross on Saturday at midnight, and it is expected that it will remain at the station overnight. A number of mourners will arrive by the same train from London.

During the day, members of the militant union will arrive in Newcastle from different branches in the country, in order to be in attendance at the funeral.

The members of the Newcastle branch of the W.S.P.U as well as other North country branches, and friends, will assemble at the Central Station on Sunday morning, and leave by the 10.40 train for Morpeth. The ladies have instructions to be attired in white, black, or purple, and a large majority of them will be dressed in white, while all will wear a black silk band on the right arm.

At 11.45 the procession will leave Morpeth station for the High Church, where the service is to be held, and the interment will afterwards take place in the burying ground adjoining. On the coffin of the deceased lady are to be the letters "W.S.P.U", The Benwell Silver Model Band will head the procession.

Wreaths have been sent from all branches of the union in the country, and these will be conveyed to Morpeth by train carrying the remains. The funeral service, it is stated will be conducted by the Rev. T. Wallace of St. Stephen's, Seaton Delaval. Mr T. J. Smith, undertaker, Morpeth, has charge of the local arrangements.

A Notable Funeral.

(Morpeth Herald 20th June 1913)

The funeral of the late Miss Emily Davison, who in pursuance of the tactics of the militant suffragettes lost her life, was the most impressive ceremony witnessed at Morpeth, doubtless since the old parish church was erected and that was in the Norman era.

The slow moving, well organised procession, with the banners and devices of the suffragettes in purple and white and green, marching to the mournful strains of the Dead March made up a spectacle most impressive, which was rendered more so by the reverent conduct of the thousands, who from all points along the route from the station to the churchyard silently viewed this demonstration where the pomp of politics invades the awful territory and presence of death itself.

The flowers and wreaths alone cost £500; one wreath of orchids alone costing £25. The public aspect of the funeral ceased at the lych gate, where the relatives took responsibility for the graveside proceedings.

The police arrangements were admirable, and in appreciation of this a brother of Mrs Pankhurst called at the police station and expressed appreciation and thanks to the Chief Constable and Superintendent Marshall for the admirable manner in which the proceedings had been carried out.

A Meeting In The Market Place.

On Sunday evening, the suffragists attending the funeral held a meeting in the Market Place, where a large crowd gathered and listened to a fluently delivered speech by Mrs Arncliffe Sennett, of the Actresses' Franchise League.

Mrs. Maud Arncliffe Sennett.

"I think Morpeth has every reason to be proud of itself today; it has given to the world a heroine." were among Mrs Sennett's first words. They were told, she proceeded, that it was not fitting to mix up religion with politics, but until they did so they would never get any politics of use in the world, because unless a man fused religion with his acts, those acts would not be of benefit to mankind.

She thought it was because politics had been separated from religion that politics has become what politicians had called them, a dirty game.

One woman had died for her creed, and she came from Morpeth, unless they had freedom in the body politic, the body politic would go under. They wanted the voice of the mothers as well as the voice of the fathers. Until women were brought into line with men they would never had a sound civilisation.

Those were things that Emily Davison saw clearly. She had done a great deed, and she shone for all time on the top of the hill, as a light shining in a dark place, until the dawn broke and the daystar rose in their hearts.

The Late Miss Emily Davison's Will.

(Morpeth Herald 5th September 1913)

Miss Emily Wilding Davison, formerly of Longhorsley, near Morpeth, who, it will be remembered, was the suffragist who caused a great sensation at the Derby by running in front of the King's horse during the race for the Derby Stakes, receiving injuries from which she never recovered, left an estate valued at £186 1s 7d. The will was made four years ago.

The Life Of Emily Davison.

(Morpeth Herald 26th December 1913)

An outline of the life of Emily Davison, who, it will be remembered, met her end under such tragic circumstances on Derby Day, has just been issued by the Woman's Press, Lincoln's Inn House, London, this book, which consists of 61 pages, is printed in readable type and nicely bound. It's author, G. Colmore, opens with the words;

"In the north country there is a small grey town, set in a basin of green hills. One of these hills bears on and about the summit remnants of a castle built and destroyed in bygone days;  and on the shoulder of the same hill stands an old church, in a churchyard, thick grown with yews and cypresses, with cedar pines and trees and shrubbery of many kinds. 

In that church, on a Sunday in June, in the year 1913, the burial service was read over the body of a woman - a body which had been carried from the midst of a shouting multitude to a shelter where death might come quietly....The name of the grey Northern town is Morpeth, and the body brought back to it from the south was that of it's most splendid daughter, and in that ancient graveyard, on a slope stretching upwards from the church towards the sky, lies the dead sheath of her who was known in life as Emily Wilding Davison."

The fight went on, in 1914 the Great War erupted across Europe and the world, during this conflict a motion was put to Parliament for electoral reform that included limited women's suffrage. 

It finally happened in the Representation of the People Act of 1918, which saw women over the age of 30 with property, gain the right to vote. It also saw all men aged from 21 get the vote without the need to own property. The fight was still on.

Eventually the Equal Franchise Act of 1928 was passed, this act gave the vote to every man and woman over the age of 21, without owning property. Fifteen years after Emily's demise words could finally overcome deeds, rest in peace Emily.