Suddenly as the horses sweep onto the racetrack a young woman waving a purple, green and white flag dives in front of the King's horse. It falls as the rider swerves to avoid her. The shocked crowd gasps as it realises that the young woman is seriously injured.
Emily Wilding Davison, the only true 'martyr' for the Suffragette cause died only days later from her horrific injuries. This was a tragic end for the brilliant Cambridge graduate who had a first class degree.
Although New Zealand was the first country to grant women the vote, in 1893, and South Australia followed in 1894, the battle for this right in Britain was a long and hard-fought struggle. Women had been given many rights by the early 20th century - they could serve on town councils and school boards, could be factory inspectors, could vote in select regional elections if they had enough property, and could even become mayors. But there was great opposition to their having the vote.
The suffrage movement in the early twentieth century was suffering. Suffragettes were regarded with ridicule and mirth. Thought of as plain women who couldn't get husbands, they were regarded as a nuisance. Even 'Punch, which was not ill-disposed towards the cause, remarked that 'those who want women's rights want also women's charms'.1
However, as payment was no longer allowed for canvassing and clerical work for conducting elections, women volunteers became increasingly important to political parties. These intelligent women began to discuss ideas, including women's suffrage. One prominent member of the Women's Liberal Federation, for example, was Rosalind, Countess of Carlisle, strongly in favour of women being granted the vote. She is also known for ordering that the 'priceless contents' of the family cellar at Castle Howard be poured down the fountain.2
In 1906 a delegation of 300 women, representing over 125,000 suffragists, presented their arguments to the Prime Minister, Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman. He agreed with their cause, but because of differences of opinion in the Liberal Party and Cabinet he refused to act. Each party was in fact scared that if they granted women the vote they would vote for a different political party!
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