SCAN LogoSCAN Educationhome | teacher materials | about scan | feedback | contact scan  
STUDY TOPICS
Home
Why women wanted the vote
The suffragists
The suffragettes
The opposition
The First World War
Credit - Glasgow City Archive
THE SUFFRAGETTES
The WSPU, Women's Social and Political Union, was formed in 1903 by Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia. The Daily Mail made fun of the WSPU by calling the Suffragettes.

Formed out of frustration at the lack of success of the suffragist campaign, the WSPU became more militant. As years passed, with increasing disappointment, they moved from peaceful protest to violence.

Arrested, tried and imprisoned for their protests, the suffragettes embarrassed the authorities by going on hunger strike. In an attempt to prevent the suffragettes harming themselves the prison authorities force fed many women, sometimes causing injury and risking death.

Eventually, the Government passed the Prisoners' Temporary Discharge Act, or "Cat and Mouse" Act. This allowed women to be released, regain their strength and then be re-arrested to complete their sentence. Often before re-arrest these women escaped police surveillance and joined in further protests.

There are five sources in this section.

Source 3A & 3B
Photo and Article
Click to view Source 3A
Source 3A and 3B describe the actions of suffragettes in Scotland.

Click to enlarge the images, then answer the following question.

Questions
  1. Compare Sources 3A and 3B as evidence of the methods used by suffragettes to win the vote.
Source 3C
Indictment of Ethel Moorhead and Dorothea Chalmers-Smith
Click to view Source 3C
Source 3C is the indictment of Ethel Moorhead and Dorothea Chalmers-Smith at the High Court in Glasgow in 1912.

Click to enlarge the image, then answer the following question.

Questions
  1. How valuable is Source 3.C as evidence of suffragettes protest to gain the vote in the early 20th century?
Source 3D
Letter to the prison commissioners
Click to view Source 3D
Source 3D is a letter to the prison commissioners for Scotland. They had asked for a professional opinion on force feeding so they could report on it to the Secretary for Scotland.

Click to enlarge the image, then answer the following questions.

Questions

  1. Describe the method of force feeding mentioned in the source.


  2. List three types of food which were fed to women.


  3. How long did this process take according to the source?
Source 3E
Record of Suffragettes placed in Scottish prisons
Click to view Source 3E
Source 3E is from an official record of Suffragettes placed in Scottish prisons. Look for the entry for Edith Johnstone.

Click to enlarge the image, then answer the following questions.

Questions

  1. What other names was she known by? Can you suggest a reason she had so many names?


  2. How many times did she go on hunger strike? Was she ever force fed and, if so, for how long?


  3. Why was she released in October 1913?


  4. Is Source 3E reliable as evidence of the treatment of Suffragettes in Scottish prisons before 1914? Give reasons for your answer.
site designed by Wark Clements