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Authors: Carol Drinkwater
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12th
July have taken up her baton. When their request to Mr Gladstone to be transferred to the First Division was turned down, they refused to wear their prison clothes or to clean up their cells. They
have broken windows to get fresh air and the prison authorities have responded by throwing them into punishment cells for their disobedience.
“We are political prisoners and you are treating us like common criminals,” was the women’s response. They have all decided to go on hunger strike.
26th July 1909
The women have been released.
This is being hailed as a triumph for our cause because although the authorities threatened forcible feeding they have not carried out the threat. The general consensus seems to be that they do
not dare because it would be barbaric and illegal, and would cause public anger.
I received a letter from Flora this morning. It was sent from Paris. She has been staying for a few days with Alice Guy on her way south. Flora sounded very happy about a scheme she and Alice
have for directing a film together. I wonder if this means that she will be away longer than she originally intended. I hope not. I miss her and I want to talk to her about my mother’s
future.
A letter also arrived from St Paul’s in Hammersmith, addressed to Flora. I am
dying
to know what it says.
14 August 1909
After lunch, I took the bus to St Thomas’s and went to visit my mother. She was very pale, but although still frail she looked a little plumper. She coughs incessantly,
but tries her best to make light of her pains in front of me. I think I am rather bad at hiding my feelings; and she senses how upset I get.
We talked of when she leaves the hospital. I suggested finding her a little flat near to Flora. “We’d share it,” I promised, but she flatly refuses to move from that horrid
damp cottage. How stubborn she is and how frustrated it makes me. But I must be positive. It is wonderful to see her growing stronger and to know that she is going to get better and that somehow or
other we will work the other problems out.
20th August 1909
It is now illegal for women to attend public gatherings, particularly those events organized by or involving the Liberal party. The government is embarrassed by the heckling
they are receiving.
As a protest, a group of us, including Mary Richardson and Miss Baker, hid in the bushes last night outside a hall in Kentish Town where a Liberal meeting was assembling. While the hall was
filling up we tried to make our way inside, but we were forced back out on to the street. So we remained outside, shouting, “Votes for Women!”
“Why don’t you treat imprisoned suffragettes as political prisoners?’’ I called nervously. My heart was beating fast. I’ve never heckled before.
Mary followed with, “Put your Liberal principles into practice.”
“Justice, and the vote for women!” That was me again. I was beginning to gain confidence.
“Give us the vote and we’ll go home,” yelled Miss Baker. What a booming voice she has!
People in the hall turned their heads in horror. “Get those blasted women away from here!” A short, bald-headed chap instructed as the doors were closed in our faces. We tried one
more time to get in by beating our fists against the doors, but we had no luck. We hung about outside in the street, shouting and kicking up a racket, until eventually, hoarse and hungry, we took a
bus back into town and went for soup and ice cream and cake at Mary’s. All of us were laughing, buoyed and exhilarated by what we had done. It felt so daring.
21st August 1909
Mr Asquith, the Prime Minister, was interrupted during his speech in Liverpool last night. To protest against the bar on women at public meetings, a few suffragettes broke
windows and threw stones. They were arrested.
At the office this afternoon, Mary Richardson said to me, “Next time, we’ll break a window or two. It’s what we should have done last night, eh?”
I shrugged, but
July have taken up her baton. When their request to Mr Gladstone to be transferred to the First Division was turned down, they refused to wear their prison clothes or to clean up their cells. They
have broken windows to get fresh air and the prison authorities have responded by throwing them into punishment cells for their disobedience.
“We are political prisoners and you are treating us like common criminals,” was the women’s response. They have all decided to go on hunger strike.
26th July 1909
The women have been released.
This is being hailed as a triumph for our cause because although the authorities threatened forcible feeding they have not carried out the threat. The general consensus seems to be that they do
not dare because it would be barbaric and illegal, and would cause public anger.
I received a letter from Flora this morning. It was sent from Paris. She has been staying for a few days with Alice Guy on her way south. Flora sounded very happy about a scheme she and Alice
have for directing a film together. I wonder if this means that she will be away longer than she originally intended. I hope not. I miss her and I want to talk to her about my mother’s
future.
A letter also arrived from St Paul’s in Hammersmith, addressed to Flora. I am
dying
to know what it says.
14 August 1909
After lunch, I took the bus to St Thomas’s and went to visit my mother. She was very pale, but although still frail she looked a little plumper. She coughs incessantly,
but tries her best to make light of her pains in front of me. I think I am rather bad at hiding my feelings; and she senses how upset I get.
We talked of when she leaves the hospital. I suggested finding her a little flat near to Flora. “We’d share it,” I promised, but she flatly refuses to move from that horrid
damp cottage. How stubborn she is and how frustrated it makes me. But I must be positive. It is wonderful to see her growing stronger and to know that she is going to get better and that somehow or
other we will work the other problems out.
20th August 1909
It is now illegal for women to attend public gatherings, particularly those events organized by or involving the Liberal party. The government is embarrassed by the heckling
they are receiving.
As a protest, a group of us, including Mary Richardson and Miss Baker, hid in the bushes last night outside a hall in Kentish Town where a Liberal meeting was assembling. While the hall was
filling up we tried to make our way inside, but we were forced back out on to the street. So we remained outside, shouting, “Votes for Women!”
“Why don’t you treat imprisoned suffragettes as political prisoners?’’ I called nervously. My heart was beating fast. I’ve never heckled before.
Mary followed with, “Put your Liberal principles into practice.”
“Justice, and the vote for women!” That was me again. I was beginning to gain confidence.
“Give us the vote and we’ll go home,” yelled Miss Baker. What a booming voice she has!
People in the hall turned their heads in horror. “Get those blasted women away from here!” A short, bald-headed chap instructed as the doors were closed in our faces. We tried one
more time to get in by beating our fists against the doors, but we had no luck. We hung about outside in the street, shouting and kicking up a racket, until eventually, hoarse and hungry, we took a
bus back into town and went for soup and ice cream and cake at Mary’s. All of us were laughing, buoyed and exhilarated by what we had done. It felt so daring.
21st August 1909
Mr Asquith, the Prime Minister, was interrupted during his speech in Liverpool last night. To protest against the bar on women at public meetings, a few suffragettes broke
windows and threw stones. They were arrested.
At the office this afternoon, Mary Richardson said to me, “Next time, we’ll break a window or two. It’s what we should have done last night, eh?”
I shrugged, but
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