Learning Objective: To understand the key events in the Suffragette campaign for the vote Learning Outcome: B- To explain (give 3 reasons) the key events and begin to evaluate their significance using accurate factual knowledge C- To explain (1 or 2 reasons) for the key events and describe events using accurate factual knowledge

Edith New heckling WSPU Women’s Sunday NUWSS Phase One Militancy Emmeline Pankhurst Phase Two Militancy Stone throwing Conciliation Bills

Hunger Strike In 1909 Marion Wallace Dunlop was sentenced to prison for vandalism (graffiti). She was placed in the Second Division, status given to petty criminals. In protest at her treatment, Dunlop went on hunger strike. Authorities feared suffragettes dying in prison and becoming martyrs. After 91 hours Dunlop was released.

“Two of the wardresses took hold of my arms, one held my head and one my feet. One wardress helped to pour the food. The doctor leant on my knees as he stooped over my chest to get at my mouth. The sense of being overpowered by more force than I could possibly resist was complete. The doctor offered me the choice of a wooden or steel gag; he explained that the steel gag would hurt and the wooden one would not. I did not speak nor open my mouth, so he used the steel. The pain of it was intense; he got the gag between my teeth, he turned it much more than necessary until my jaws were fastened wide apart, far more than they could go naturally. Then he put down my throat a tube, which seemed to me much too wide and was four feet long. I choked the moment it touched my throat. Then the food was poured in quickly; it made me sick a few seconds after it was down and the action of the sickness made my body and legs double up, but the wardresses instantly pressed back my head and the doctor leant on my knees. I had been sick over my hair, all over the wall near my bed, and my clothes were saturated with vomit. The wardresses told me that they could not get a change of clothes as it was too late, the office was shut.” Lady Constance Lytton described force feeding.

“The wardresses forced me onto a bed (in the cell) and two doctors came in with them. While I was held down a nasal tube was inserted. It was two yards long, with a funnel at the end; there was a glass junction in the middle to see if the liquid was passing. The end was put up left and right nostrils on alternate days. Great pain was experienced during the process, both mental and physical. One doctor inserted the end up my nostril while I was held down by the wardresses.” Suffragette recalls force feeding

Consider: How would the public react to stories like these? How might this help the Suffragettes cause? How might they use these events to promote Votes for Women?

The Cat and Mouse Act 1913 By 1913 Suffragettes had been hunger striking since 1909 To prevent them becoming martyrs, the government had started to force feed Suffragettes, but this had created problems. Many members of the public criticised how the government had badly treated these women. So the government came up with a way around it. The Cat and Mouse Act, the Temporary Discharge for Ill Health Act.

Guardian Newspaper Article 1914 Hunger striking Suffragettes would be released on licence until they recovered their health and would then be arrested to complete their prison sentence. The impact on the Suffragette movement was considerable and the health of many hunger strikers deteriorated. In some ways they became farcical avoiding arrest as police tried to capture them and Suffragettes in and out of prison, they had to some members of the public become ridiculous.

TASK Write a newspaper article on behalf of the Suffragettes investigating and commenting on the hunger strikes and force feeding Why are they using militancy? Why are Suffragettes on hunger strike? Force feeding Examples- quotes/stories from Suffragettes Cat and Mouse Act