DEEDS ABOVE WORDS - A representation of the people and the Loughborough Suffragettes by Charnwood Arts

Deeds above Words

A representation of the people and the Loughborough Suffragettes

Suffragettes in Loughborough

About This book and the project that it is part of grew out of initial research by Mike Shuker and the Loughborough Labour History Research Group. As a whole, the project was a natural progression for the other partners involved following extensive work related to the centennial commemorations of WW1. Whatever one might think of that war and the human and geopolitical consequences that followed, it also heralded, as wars so often do, remarkable levels of technical, medical, and social innovation and change. The history of Loughboroughâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Suffragettes begins long before the war but the shift of support to their cause possibly owes much more to it than some would feel comfortable to admit. Suffragettes and Suffragists may have disagreed on the ways and means of achieving suffrage but once the first major hurdles were cleared the door to full suffrage for men and women over 21 was inevitable. Decades of work eventually brought hard won results. Given the relatively small number of committed Suffragettes nationally we can rightly celebrate the contribution of Loughborough women to the cause and continue to applaud and recognise their work through the efforts of this project and the work of local researchers. This project required many hundreds of hours of effort by so many people, through planning, research, preparing materials and publications, events, exhibitions and talks. We are deeply indebted, as a partnership, to everyone who was involved.

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Acknowledgements Charnwood Arts would like to acknowledge the following people and organisations in the development of this publication: The funding of the project has been made possible through support from a National Lottery Heritage Fund grant, in addition to the contributions of our core funders, Charnwood Borough Council and Arts Council England. The research informing this resource was led by Mike Shuker, with Mike Cahill, Dave Neville, Dr Jill Vincent and Lynne Dyer who supplied some additional information about Kathleen and Nora Corcoran. We are also indebted to the Loughborough Library Local Studies Volunteers for their invaluable assistance. Dr Nick Hayes, Dr Roger Knight assisted with the earlier article “For those women have pluck” published in ‘East Midlands History and Heritage’. Dr Ray Sutton read an early draft and made helpful comments. The ‘Loughborough Echo’ has granted permission for the reproduction of press coverage from the time. This publication has also been enriched by images from Kevin Ryan, Karl Tiisler, Dennis Powdrill and Paul Gent, the performance work of Chorus Theatre and Bill Brookman Production, design by Natalie Chabaud.

Suffragettes in Loughborough

The Development of Loughborough In the nineteenth century, Loughborough boasted a number of advantages which gave it potential for development. “It was on a waterway network which linked it to the East coast, the Erewash Valley coalfield to the North, and southwards along most of the route to London... The town also had good communications on the turnpike system, along which ran the Royal Mail and passenger coaches.”

The town grew rapidly. The population in 1871, shortly before the first women’s suffrage meetings to be held in the town, was 11,588. In 1881 this had risen to 14,803, by 1891 it had grown to 18,196 and in 1901 there was a population of 21,508. When the General Elections of 1910 came about, there were close to 23,000 people living in the town.

Towles Limited, Nottingham Road, Loughborough The substantial Towles factory, sited off the Nottingham Road on the canal, was a major knitted textile producer - this illustration by Paul Gent for People Making Places is of the surviving mill built in 1840 but the site extended South along the canal and across the Nottingham Road into Clarence Street.

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A staple industry of the area had been hosiery manufacture with some lace manufacturing. The dominance of the textile sector in Loughborough’s economy in the mid-nineteenth century meant that almost one in three of all ‘heads of families’ were engaged in the industry. The shift from homeworking to factory based manufacture not only brought more women and girls into the industry to ‘machine mind’, but was also a factor in the development of hosiery machine manufacture in the town at William Cotton’s.

Suffragettes in Loughborough

Engineering employment in the town grew through the nineteenth century. Early in the century some 14% of ‘heads of households’ were engaged in such manufacturing work: by the 1880s this was 18%. Taylor’s Bell Foundry moved to its current town location in Loughborough in 1839, although it did not provide as many employment opportunities as some of the other Loughborough firms. The Falcon Works

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moved from Derby Road to a site adjacent to the Midland Railway in 1864 and was taken over by the Brush Electrical Engineering Company in 1889. ‘The Brush’ was to become a ‘major source of employment’ complementing the established Cotton’s. Later in the century, 1897, the lifting gear manufacturers Morris and Bastert moved to the town.

So, by the turn of the nineteenth to twentieth centuries, the ‘traditional’ town industries were supplemented by engineers, foundry workers and a growing number of municipal workers from the Loughborough Borough which was incorporated in 1888. Transport links had also developed and, by the time the Women’s Social and Political Union formed a branch in Loughborough, the town had three railway stations: the Charnwood Forest Railway (linking to Shepshed, Ashby and eventually Nuneaton); the Midland Railway (London to Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield) and the Great Central (from Manchester and Sheffield to London Marylebone).

Politically, Loughborough was a Liberal Parliamentary Division from its establishment in 1885 until 1929, apart from a Conservative period from 1886 – 1892. The first Labour Parliamentary Candidate was W H Hallam who stood in the 1918 election. The first Labour member to hold the seat was Ernest Winterton, briefly the town’s MP from 1929 – 1931. In terms of local party politics, Liberalism was seen as the ‘home’ for working men. In 1898 the first ‘working man’, the hosiery worker William Cartwright, was elected to Loughborough Council as a Liberal. However, there was a strong base of the Independent Labour Party in Leicester. Through their county Federation they established a presence in Loughborough, although there was a tendency for the branch to fold and then be re-established. Often prompted by the Loughborough Trades Council, formed in 1893, Labour candidates stood at occasional municipal elections. Joseph Jarrom (1906); Frank Lovett (in 1909); Frank Manning Dunkley (in 1911 and 1912) stood but were not successful in their candidacies. Suffragettes in Loughborough

So, by the time the Suffragettes became active in Loughborough the town had developed from a base of the ‘traditional’ trades in the textile industry to include a range of manufacturing employment and foundry work as well as railway and municipal work. In 40 years prior to the 1910 General Elections the population had doubled to almost

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23,000. The Parliamentary electorate for the Loughborough wards was just 4,341. Politically, the town and Shepshed were Liberal. In the Parliamentary Division there had been only one break in Liberal representation since 1885. In Shepshed, the Conservatives did not break the

Liberal hold on power from the Council’s formation in 1894 until 1911. This was the Loughborough in which the issues of women’s suffrage were first raised and in which the Women’s Social and Political Union campaigned in the Town.

Early Suffrage The earliest references to women’s suffrage campaigning in Loughborough so far identified can be found in the mid to late 1870s. On Friday April 2nd 1875 Mrs Jane Ronniger of the London National Society for Women’s Suffrage addressed a meeting at which Rev J Lemon took the chair. The meeting, at Loughborough Town Hall, was a part of a ‘week-long tour of the East Midlands’. Throughout the 1870s and 1880s she appears to have addressed meetings across the country. With ‘ladies particularly invited’, Mrs Ronniger spoke on “... the desirability and importance of conferring the Parliamentary Franchise upon Women.” The Loughborough Advertiser was impressed by her lecture : “... the society have done well to secure her services as a champion of their cause, and an exponent of the rights of women. She ... secured the entire attention of her audience; and at the close she was greeted with liberal applause.” At the end of the meeting, Reverend Lemon signed the adopted petition in favour of repealing the Women’s Disabilities Bill, so that women could vote on the same terms as men.

Suffragettes in Loughborough

Four years later the Reverend John Page Hopps, a Leicester Unitarian Minister, chaired women’s suffrage meetings addressed by Caroline Biggs in both the Loughborough and Hinckley Town Halls. Biggs had been born in Leicester where members of her family had been prominent Unitarians and Liberals. By then she was ‘one of the most active speakers of the Central Committee of the

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National Society for Women’s Suffrage’. At Loughborough, on Wednesday 5th February 1879, a ‘small but appreciative audience’ listened to Miss Biggs confirm the aim of removing women’s disqualification for householders and ratepayers – so that women could vote on the same terms as men in Parliamentary elections.

“... women householders were taxed just the same as men householders, and it was unjust to refuse them a vote in choosing those men who settled how the taxes were to be spent ... it was unjust that women who had to obey the law in equal degree with men, should be deprived of a share in electing the men who made the laws.”

As cases for reform Biggs saw the Married Women’s Property Act “... a most incomplete business, abounding in inconsistency...”; stressed the need for tackling the “...untouched ... Common Law which gave all the property a woman possessed unconditionally to her husband ...”; and raised the constraints on a woman’s right to guardianship of her children as “... only samples of the one-sidedness of the law.” The National Society for Women’s Suffrage held a meeting at Loughborough Town Hall on March 14th, 1887. There was a ‘good attendance’ with ‘about half of those present being ladies’ to hear Mrs Fenwick Miller and the Society’s Secretary, Miss Florence Balgarnie. Miss Balgarnie had written to the recently elected Conservative MP (Edwin de Lisle) and his Liberal opponent (Sir Edward Johnson – Ferguson) to invite them to the meeting. Johnson – Ferguson was unable to attend, but supported the extension of the franchise to women “... who possess the qualifications which entitle a man to vote.” de Lisle had written to Balgarnie that he “... cannot in any way countenance your meeting in favour of the extension of suffrage to women. [Suffrage] would be to initiate a social revolution which might wreck the domestic happiness of half the homes of England.” In November of that year, Balgarnie addressed a meeting of the local Liberal Association. From then on there is no local reportage of Suffrage activity so far identified – possibly an indicator that the local press had lost interest rather than a lack of activity. The reports resume in the new century.

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Early Suffragette Activity With the 1906 General Election pending, Mr W Miles, Secretary of the Loughborough Branch of the Independent Labour Party (ILP), posed 8 questions to both of the candidates. The final question was “Will you support ... (8) Female suffrage?” The Liberal candidate, Sir Maurice Levy replied “... that for years I have publicly advocated these reforms ...”. Levy’s Conservative opponent, Mr Du Pre, did “...not consider that among the women of England there is any united demand for female suffrage. My experience of the sex is that when they really want anything they usually manage to get it.” Maurice Levy was returned to Westminster as Loughborough’s MP. Apart from the ILP’s intervention, pre-election questions, there appears to be little reference to local activities around Loughborough, although the Loughborough Herald is starting to report general Suffragette activity from mid-1906. In Loughborough Market Place on September 10th, presided over by Mr de Laine, president of the Loughborough ILP, a meeting was addressed by Annie Kenney (referred to as ‘Kennie’ in the local papers) who with Christabel Pankhurst in Manchester had been “... thrown out [of a Liberal meeting] by liberty-loving Liberals...” and subsequently imprisoned in Strangeways.

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Speaking of the women cotton operatives in Lancashire and Yorkshire paying their union’s political levy “...to help send a Labour member to the House of Commons to represent the women, even though indirectly...” she went on to declare “...it was the duty of the State to allow women to say how the money of the State should be spent. They would not spend it on a wasted war to fill the pockets of the capitalists. They would think of the children and solve the unemployed problem.” At the end of the meeting the resolution “This meeting protests against the withholding of the Parliamentary vote for the women of the nation, and demands the insertion by the Government of a women’s franchise clause in the Plural Voting Bill now before Parliament ” was carried ‘with some dissent’. The next month the Liberal supporting Loughborough Herald argued that the tactics of ‘some advocates’ of the suffrage movement “... contend that the history of all great political movements has proved that it is only by demonstrations that the public attention is forced upon a cause ... For the present...” the editorial continues “... the agitators have certainly covered themselves with a certain ridicule.” Concluding that the “ ... day of female suffrage is not yet...” the Herald finalised its argument with the words “Men who indulge in violent language can be answered back. It would be difficult to deal with an opponent of the sex whose boast it ever is that they always get in the last word.”

Annie Kenney : Mill worker, Trade Unionist, Socialist and Suffragette. The first Suffragette speaker in Loughborough in September 1906. Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/

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A few months later, though, Loughborough had its first 2 women nominees for election to the Board of Guardians: the body which administered the Poor Law locally. One was a Liberal (Mrs Jones) and one a Conservative (Mrs Clifford). Labour stood only 2 candidates - both men. Both women were elected. The Herald editorial obviously urged its readers to support Mrs Jones, although hoped that Mrs Clifford would also be one of the Guardians. However, it had a clear view of the advantages of electing women Guardians “... there are innumerable details of management – cooking, quality, price of food, and the various articles required – which belong primarily to the province of women, and with which they must through their own personal experience be better qualified to deal than men.” This was not the only example of the prevailing attitudes of the time towards women’s role and suffrage campaigners. The Adult School Movement appeared from the topics highlighted at its local meetings to be a generally progressive body, but the topic ‘Women’s Suffrage or should women vote’ was the subject of ‘an amusing sketch’ which ‘caused much amusement’ at the Kegworth school at the end of 1907.

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Loughborough’s MP at the time, Maurice Levy, opposed various women’s enfranchisement measures - claiming that only women like the Suffragettes would benefit. In February 1907 he responded to the Women’s Enfranchisement Bill by tabling a ‘declaratory motion’ “...that no alteration to the franchise laws will be acceptable which fails to provide adult suffrage.” In March 1907 he had introduced a Bill which would enable “Every man and woman of full age, whether married or single, shall be qualified to vote at a Parliamentary election who resides in the area for which the election is held and is duly registered unless disqualified (for a reason other than sex or marriage) by common law or Act of Parliament. No other person shall be qualified to vote at any such election”. A consequence of Levy doing this was that a ‘notice of a motion in general terms’ tabled by Sir Charles McLaren (a Liberal and Parliamentary neighbour in Bosworth) was halted – as a result of a rule of procedure. This would have supported the extension of the franchise to women on the same terms as men. In Liberal circles, as in the correspondence columns of the Loughborough Herald, the dispute continued.

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In late February of the following year the Women’s Enfranchisement Bill, identical to the 1907 one, was introduced. Levy described it as a ‘bad Bill’, opposed to the Liberal principle of ‘One man, one vote’ by giving the vote to the ‘rich women in the country’ thus preventing the extension of the franchise to those ‘more in need of it’. He was reported as saying that “...the country would not be convinced by a few noisy demonstrators, whose ideas

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of justice seemed to exclude the greater portion of their sex from the privilege of the franchise, and whose notion of fairness was an unmannerly disturbance of other people’s meetings.” These may have been some of Levy’s actions which led to the WSPU’s campaign in Loughborough in early 1910. With Levy’s approach to the WSPU’s aims remaining unaltered, the WSPU undertook three weeks of organising

in the Midlands in the run up to the Suffragettes’ major Hyde Park demonstration in June 1908. “A party from Leicester invaded Loughborough”. They were distributing handbills, chalking pavement slogans and promoting the meeting to be addressed by Nellie Kenney because “Considering it’s Maurice Levy’s stronghold, it wants educating in regards to votes for women.”

Nellie tried to ‘educate the locals’ at a meeting in Devonshire Square on the evening of June 6th, 1908. Alice Hawkins, from Leicester, presided. Both Nellie and Alice were from working class backgrounds, cotton and shoe making repectively, and Socialists. The meeting and its preceding campaigning was not a surprise. “It was quite expected that they would be on Sir Maurice Levy’s track after the dressing down he has given them from time to time, but as far as I can learn they have not found much to encourage them in their campaign in the division.”

Given a ‘very fair hearing’ despite ‘several interruptions’ Nellie “... proved quite the match of any present either at answering any questions or ignoring them.” The response to one persistent interrupter was “ I think if men had votes for intelligence many of you would have them taken away.” She defended the WSPU’s opposition to the Government : “... they were not going to the extreme measures which men took when they demanded the vote ...” but assured her audience that they would continue the agitation until there was a definite pledge on the women’s vote. In November 1908 a Loughborough ‘Suffrage Society’ was set up at a Town Hall meeting. Miss Hardy was elected President and Miss Chilton Secretary. The local press hoped it would not become a militant (WSPU) Branch. A Loughborough Herald commentator remarked “So far we have kept very clear … of the women’s suffrage movement, and no very keen desire has been manifested on the part of women to identify themselves with it ... I hope they will decide to keep clear of the societies whose hysterics have so disgusted the country.” Alice Hawkins. 1863 - 1946 (Leicester)

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On January 22nd, 1909, Loughborough moved towards establishing a WSPU Branch. A Town Hall meeting was presided over by the Borough’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr Corcoran. He claimed those present “… ought to be proud of the pioneers of the movement which their society supported, and they ought not to be ashamed of them even if they did go to prison occasionally.”

The main speaker, supported by local supporters the Misses Hardy, Judges and Edwards was Gladice Keevil, then Birmingham and West Midlands organiser for the WSPU. (Miss Hardy became the President and Miss Chilton the Secretary. Miss Judges, who was probably a teacher, read a paper ‘Should Women Vote?’ at the Loughborough & District Teachers’ Association quarterly meeting in March, 1909).

Keevil tackled the arguments against enfranchisement on the same terms as men. Only rich women would be getting the vote: “… 80 out of 100 women who would receive the vote would be women who earned their own living.” Women couldn’t become soldiers, sailors or policemen: “… the women brought the children into the world and … it would be found that this was a much more dangerous business.” Citing women’s lower pay than men for teachers, Post Office clerks and various Inspectors, Gladice made the point that women “… would never receive fair wages until they had voice.” On the view that it was ‘unwomanly’ to want to enter politics, Keevil responded that “… men … did not think it unwomanly … to do rag picking and other dirty work or chainmaking.” Finally, she pointed out that “the nation had been run by men who had ‘made a hash of it’ and needed mothering.”

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Despite the Loughborough Herald’s earlier pleas, it would appear that Loughborough’s women’s enfranchisement campaign was set on the more militant path.

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The 1910 Campaign As a result of the House of Lords’ rejection of LloydGeorge’s 1909 Budget a General Election was called for January 1910. The Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) had no faith in Liberal leader Asquith’s pledge to introduce an Electoral Reform Bill, which could be amended to include women’s suffrage, were he returned to office. Balfour’s Unionists (Conservatives) had no mention of suffrage in their programme. The WSPU resolved to oppose the Liberal candidates in a number of Parliamentary seats. Other suffrage societies urged the WSPU to set aside the campaign – but their pleas were rejected. Loughborough was one of the Liberal seats targeted. “We opposed Liberal candidates in forty constituencies and in almost every one of these the Liberal majorities were reduced and no less than eighteen seats were wrested from the Liberal candidates.” For the Loughborough Division, Levy’s previous interventions in the suffrage debate may have been a key reason why the seat was targeted in the January 1910 election.

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The Suffragettes moved on the Loughborough Division “... with the object of assisting the Conservative candidate” as the Liberal supporting Loughborough Herald reported it. As a part of their organisation, some of the women took rooms in the town. Miss Dorothy Pethick acted as Organiser for the Division alongside Dorothy Bowker. Prior to the 1910 General Election the WSPU “... opened a shop in Baxter Gate for the display of their propagandist literature and posters.” This built on the formation of the Loughborough Branch which Gladice Keevil had attended.

Very early in January, the WSPU was active locally. At a Loughborough Market Place meeting on January 4th they were ‘put to flight’ in ‘a few minutes’ once they had stated that they were there to work against Sir Maurice Levy. Their dray “... began to move round the fountain in the centre of the Market-Place. Orange peel and eggs were freely thrown ...” and the dray turned over “... and the occupants “slithered” to the ground.” The understated Loughborough Herald report refers to the speakers’ position as “... not a happy one ...” The police “deemed it desirable to escort them away into safety, to the police station ...” followed by a raucous crowd of ‘several hundred’.

the crowd to continually try to rush the speakers’ dray. The president, Miss Bowker of London concluded her address as the police tried to fight back the crowd. Miss Pethick taking to the platform “... was the signal for another

angry outburst... not so easily stemmed, and the dray ... began to perambulate around the lower end of the Market – place ... from the Fountain into the Fishmarket.”

On the following Monday (10th), the police were prepared. There were Suffragette meetings in Loughborough Market Place at lunchtime as well as in the evening. The lunchtime meeting attracted ‘a good crowd’ to hear Miss Dorothy Pethick – protected by “... the superintendent of police, one inspector, two sergeants and three constables, and a number of constables in plain clothes ... among the crowd.” Earlier in the day, Miss Pethick had managed to “... advocate her case without interruption.” This was not to be the case in the evening, where a crowd of ‘some thousands’ had gathered. Apparently reference to the Liberal Party was the goad which spurred on Suffragettes in Loughborough

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With the atmosphere ‘becoming threatening and several minor injuries and cases of fainting occurring’, Miss Pethick ‘discreetly capitulated’ and she and Miss Bowker sought refuge in the police station. But the commitment to the cause was undimmed and on the Tuesday evening a further Market Place meeting went ahead – earlier in the evening to avoid the section of workmen thought to be responsible for Monday’s disturbances and with the dray chained to the fire alarm post by the Fountain. A smaller

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crowd, partly due to the earlier start and partly to ‘inclement weather’, quietly listened to the Suffragettes’ message. With Loughborough’s Polling Day in the General Election set for January 25th, regular Suffragette meetings were held in Loughborough and the surrounding districts in mid January 1910. Amongst these was the meeting at Shepshed in the Bull Ring on January 17th. Miss Bowker and Miss Pethick spoke from a dray with the wheels locked and the shafts tied. The “... largest crowd witnessed in Shepshed

for many years ...” heard Miss Bowker outline the Suffragette demand “... with considerable attention.” However, Miss Pethick, who spoke on women’s declining wages as well as being ‘against the Government’ of ‘whatever party’ until they got votes for women “... had a mixed reception.” The crowd rushed the dray moving it ‘several yards’ but Miss Pethick “...maintained her imperturbability and continued her address.” At the end of the meeting, the speakers had to be conducted to the station by the Police – followed by a large and noisy crowd.

Meetings such as this led up to Mrs Pankhurst’s visit to Loughborough on Wednesday 19th. There is scant reference to her evening meeting but her afternoon meeting in Loughborough Town Hall, presided over by Miss Dorothy Pethick “... was a great attraction ... the hall ... well filled by women only.” As well as women, Mrs Pankhurst outlined others who were denied the vote. “Beginning with aliens, she said that in the Loughborough Division, they had seeking the votes of the men a candidate who, if to judge by his name, was if not once an alien himself at least descended from aliens.” This drew hisses of disapproval from the crowd. Mrs Pankhurst swiftly developed her argument. “No, don’t hiss at me, ladies. I have nothing against an alien if he becomes a good citizen. I do not object to him having a vote : but I do object to him preventing British born women having votes.” This won applause from her audience. (Interestingly, the Loughborough Herald makes no mention of this part of the speech.) Referring to the Liberal poster highlighting the Tory threat of taxation on food (‘The Woman’s Answer’) where a woman is shown saying ‘Don’t let them tax our food’, Mrs Pankhurst said to applause that it was “... the most hypocritical poster that I have ever seen. Here are women for the last four years asking the Liberal Government to give the women the power to say what shall be taxed. Our answer to this poster is ‘Give women the vote, and they will be able to protect their food for themselves’.” Suffragettes in Loughborough

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Tales of Suffragettes and unruly crowds in Loughborough BY JILL VINCENT the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) to target Loughborough during the 1910 election.

Former Suffragette leader Emily Pankhurst

Early Suffragette activity in Loughborough includes unruly crowds mobbing women speakers and a visit by the famous Emmeline Pankhurst. We hear so much about the London-based leading names of the Suffragettes it would be easy to think that it was a top-down movement. We would be wrong; the evidence shows strong local, grass-roots activity and support. Meetings and petitions are recorded as early as the 1870s and 80s. For example, in 1875 the National Society for Women’s Suffrage called a meeting at Loughborough Town Hall in support of a petition to repeal the Women’s Disability Act that prevented women from voting. Questions about women’s suffrage were put to the Conservative and Liberal candidates during the 1906 election; the Liberal Maurice Levy was elected. In 1907, the Bosworth MP, McClaren, put forward a Bill to introduce the franchise for women, but Levy defeated it with a Bill linking women’s suffrage to full adult suffrage; the process was repeated a year or so later. Levy’s tactics defeating women’s suffrage strengthened local feeling and encouraged

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Crowds gathered for open-air public meetings in Loughborough Market Place and in the Bull Ring at Shepshed. Unruly crowds mobbed the women speakers, who needed police protection. Emmeline Pankhurst spoke at Loughborough Town Hall. This time Levy was returned with a much smaller majority. After the 1910 election, Parliament passed a compromise on women’s suffrage but Prime Minister Asquith blocked its progress. More meetings were held, with unruly and violent crowds confronting the speakers. In 1913 the council barred the use of the Town Hall to Suffrage meetings. We must distinguish between different approaches taken within the Suffragette movement. While all were united in demanding that women gain the franchise, many, perhaps most, thought that they could win through reasoned argument and an appeal to justice. Others thought that such argument had failed and only damage to property would make the politicians and public take notice of them. The year that Asquith refused the debate saw the only violent act by Suffragettes in Loughborough: the oak staircase of the Red House in Burton Walks (now part of the Endowed Schools) was fired, but it did not spread to the rest of the property. Pamphlets left nearby showed the act was associated with the Suffragettes. The arguments for women’s votes were that they could vote in county and borough

elections (1888) and stand for them (1907); they could stand as Poor Law Guardians and for school boards (since 1870); they paid taxes, so should be represented nationally. Without the vote, women were powerless against sweated labour and decreasing wages, which in turn undercut the pay of men. Militant tactics were defensible because they had no other recourse. During the period 1910 to 1914 there were numerous, smaller, low key events. The Corcoran sisters, who lived first on Victoria Street and later on Castledine Street, were prominent and active, holding meetings at homes where women practised their speaking and debating skills. At one time on the principle of no taxation without representation, they refused to pay their taxes and goods were seized for payment from their house. Women’s right to vote in national elections began in 1918 when women over 30 gained the vote. Of course their war work made such a visible contribution (they worked in armaments and other war production) it could hardly be ignored. At the same time, women took the other routes open to them into public life and stood for places on School Boards and Boards of Guardians. Mrs Jessie Eames was Loughborough’s first woman councillor, elected in Storer Ward in 1919. She had been the founding president of the Women’s Adult School and the local Workers Education Association.

Concluding, Mrs Pankhurst spoke on forcing the vote, indicating that “Political parties were all alike, and neither would give women the vote until a way was found of forcing them to do so.” A part of this was to “...take all we can get and clamour for more, like Oliver Twist, and ... never be satisfied until we can get the vote.” On the day of Mrs Pankhurst’s speech, Bertha Clarke cycled from Leicester adorned in WSPU colours and helped out at the WSPU shop at lunchtime until news of Mrs Pankhurst’s imminent arrival came. The afternoon meeting started at

3pm and Bertha ‘found herself embroiled in trying to make the flags which formed the platform decoration stand up unsupported.’ Of the afternoon meeting, she recalled that Mrs Pankhurst “...carried her audience off its feet with her powerful interpretation of the great moral issues of the movement. And the fine scorn she poured on the women who were working their hardest for men who denied to woman her right to help women, was a thing not to be lightly forgotten by any woman present.” Of the evening meeting, she recalled a new recruit saying “ I can understand women being ready to die for her.” Suffragettes in Loughborough

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January 21st saw a return to the Bull Ring in Shepshed attracting a ‘good number’ to hear Miss Brackenbury outline the WSPU cause. The meeting passed off without incident according to the Loughborough Herald, since “... Shepshed folk had had their fun at the first meeting on the previous Monday evening.” With 3 days to go to Polling Day, the WSPU held a meeting in the Latimer Street Council School at Anstey in the Loughborough Division on the evening of January 22nd. Announcement of the intention of keeping the Liberal out was greeted with groans, whilst the mere mention of the names of Maurice Levy (the sitting MP) or other Liberal leaders raised ‘deafening cheers’. Eventually “... uproar and disorder prevailed, and only those in the immediate vicinity of the speakers could hear what was said... A strong body of police afforded protection to the speakers as they left the building.”

On the eve of Poll, the Tory supporting Monitor reported the ‘Labour and Liberal alliance’ in Loughborough organising an evening demonstration with “... the Radicals who helped to upset the Suffragists on the occasion of their first meeting ... in evidence.” In the Market Place, both the Liberals and the Suffragettes had set up platforms. Originally, the WSPU planned to hold two meetings : one adjacent to the Liberals by the Fountain and one outside the

Town Hall. After the Chief Constable’s intervention the WSPU decided to hold one meeting, a distance away from the Liberals. Although “... nothing was heard but the din of the audience most of whom preferred the ladies’ platform as promising fair sport.... they rushed the Suffragist [sic] platform ... beat down the opposition of the police, and the whole affair was pushed under Messrs Wills and Hepworth’s gateway.” After a ‘bit of pelting’, eggs being involved,

Miss Pethick, Miss Brackenbury and Miss Bowker found themselves in the not unusual position of being escorted safely from the Market Place by the police. Unheard though much of their argument had been : “The women stuck to the dray for an hour and a half, determined that if they could not obtain a hearing themselves they would at least draw off some attention from the Liberal meeting.”

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Unsurprisingly, most newspaper coverage is given to the public or women’s meetings likely to attract larger audiences and, potentially, ‘fun’ or ‘uproar and disorder’ depending on your point of view. However, there is the occasional report of quieter, ‘behind the scenes’ organising. Prior to the first Shepshed meeting of the campaign (January 17th) a private meeting was held at the Old Institute “.. attended by a number of Shepshed ladies, when the tenets of the Suffragette movement was explained.” Unfortunately, it seems that there were unlikely to be many recruits since “... the property qualification suggested was not looked upon with any general favour.” The afternoon’s work in Shepshed prior to Miss Brackenbury’s evening Bull Ring meeting was spent with “ ... a number of personal calls, and ... chats with workpeople.” The declaration saw Sir Maurice Levy returned for the Loughborough Division, albeit with a majority reduced from 1780 (in 1905) to 753. The Monitor saw the result auguring well for the future (of the Unionist cause): the Herald as a Conservative defeat ‘all the more pronounced’ because of the ‘strenuousness of the contest’.

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The Monitor did not mention the suffrage question in its assessment of the campaign whilst the Herald noted the impact as a ‘new factor’ in the Division. Obviously, the work of the WSPU was against the Liberal candidate and although Mr Smith-Carrington (the Conservative) was also opposed to woman’s suffrage “... he was not averse to the help afforded him by the militant suffragettes.” The Herald summarised the WSPU campaign in the Loughborough Division as meeting with “... little sympathy ... except from the Conservative side, and much amusement has been caused at the welcome given to them by members of that party, who have hitherto been emphatic opponents of the movement.” Noting that they had had a ‘hostile reception’ and a ‘lively time’, the Herald concluded “... that it is improbable that they have succeeded in weakening the loyalty of Liberals to any appreciable extent.” Then, they would conclude that, wouldn’t they? Following the election, the Government had no majority of its own “... largely, if not mainly, due to the woman suffrage issue. Liberal women had lost their enthusiasm for a Government who would not give them the vote. The earnest and energetic

campaign of Mrs Pankhurst and her followers had stirred the electors to vote against the Government.” Consequently the Asquith Government “... were dependent for their very existence on the votes of the Labour Party and the Irish Nationalists.” Suffragettes in Loughborough

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With this political change a ‘truce’ was declared so that the Government might reveal its position over the enfranchisement of women and so the WSPU could concentrate on mobilisation work for the mass demonstration in London on June 18th.

meeting presided over by Mrs Ernest Tyler of Quorn who confirmed the WSPU “...desired to bring about a more equal state of things between the sexes than at present existed, to give women the same political power as men.”

In this period Dorothy Pethick addressed a meeting at the St Peter’s Schoolroom in Mountsorrel. The Loughborough Herald reports it as a ‘well attended’

Miss Pethick again introduced an economic side to her argument. Having outlined the strength of the movement “... which boasted of a membership of

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over 100,000 ...” she then pointed out that without the vote women were “... powerless to effectively protest against the sweating of female labour and what was very discouraging ... the average wage, poor as it was, was steadily declining.” She concluded “...that the ‘Votes for Women’ movement was now in the forefront, and this was undoubtedly due to the faith, self sacrifice, and heroism of women, who had led the way to freedom, even through prison gates.”

In Parliament a Conciliation Committee for Women’s Suffrage was established. Its aim was to press for a solution to the women’s suffrage question which all parties would accept as a ‘practicable minimum’. It reflected all parties and all its members, apart from the Chair and the Secretary, were MPs. The Conciliation Bill was introduced by D J Shackleton, MP on June 14th 1910

and passed its Second Reading with a majority of 109 votes. The Prime Minister refused to find time in the remainder of the Parliamentary session for the Bill to complete its passage. The WSPU organised for another major national demonstration in Hyde Park on July 23rd. In Loughborough, the day before that demonstration, Dorothy Pethick presided over a meeting at which Adela

Pankhurst spoke. Pethick was convinced that victory was near because the cause was ‘right and just’, women were ‘united on the question’ and because they were ‘determined’. Adela Pankhurst attacked Asquith’s position in preventing the Conciliation Bill becoming law and pointed out that since the Bill had had a majority of 109, women were now fighting for the House of Commons itself.

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In September, in the Town Hall Lecture Room, Dorothy Pethick welcomed the start of a ‘strenuous Autumn campaign’ whilst Charlotte Marsh was sure that people in Loughborough would not ‘stand any nonsense’ from their MP over the Conciliation Bill – despite the fact that his attitude did not exhibit the ‘spirit of Free Liberalism’.

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The next evening, again in the Town Hall, the Loughborough WSPU supported men speaking up for women’s votes. The Medical Officer for the Borough, Dr Corcoran, took the Chair with Henry Woodd Nevinson as the main speaker. Leicester born Nevinson was a radical journalist, a WSPU supporter and a founder of the militant Men’s Political Union.

Nevinson highlighted the contradiction between men who had challenged how their money was spent on politics and women who had no choice. Referring to the Osborne judgement Nevinson pointed out that with current proposals for the payment of MPs women who paid taxes would soon be contributing to the Parliamentary earnings of MPs whom they could not vote for.

If Loughborough and the area had a ‘strenuous Autumn campaign’, there is sadly little evidence of it in the local press. For October and November 1910, the papers are silent – even though the WSPU may not have been. The next reported meeting by the Loughborough WSPU was held at the Town Hall on December 6th with Miss D A Bowker presiding over a ‘large attendance’. The other speakers, Miss Joachim and Mrs Alice Pemberton Peake, spoke on the anti Government policy being pursued. If the Conservatives got in and were no more in sympathy than the last Government, then the militant tactics would continue. They stated that

newspaper coverage was often misleading about the WSPU, although its 100,000 members meant it was making ‘considerable progress’ in the country. The Loughborough WSPU organisation had been started in early 1909. According to figures reported in September 1910, there would have been some ‘40 or 50’ members by the end of the year when the second General Election was held in December. There is little reportage of Suffragette campaigning in this second election – in which Levy’s majority was further reduced to 572.

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1911 – 1914 Early in 1911, the Loughborough WSPU hosted a meeting at the Town Hall, with a precisely reported small attendance ‘of 23’, at which Mrs Pemberton Peake presided. The Secretary of the Women’s Tax Resistance League, Margaret Parkes (Mrs Kineton Parkes), spoke advocating non payment of tax and was supported by Dorothy Pethick. (It may well have been this meeting which influenced Dr Corcoran’s daughters, Kathleen and Nora, who refused to pay taxes on their property in 1913). The next report of Suffragette activity in the local press was the following year when a prominent figure in the WSPU nationally, Mrs Drummond (often referred to as ‘The General’), spoke. She was clearly admired within the movement as well as by Emmeline Pankhurst who referred to Flora as “... a woman of great public spirit; she is an admirable wife and mother; she has very great business ability, and she has maintained herself, although a married woman, for many years and has acquired for herself the admiration and respect of all the people with whom she has business relations.” Flora Drummond, photo c 1906 – 1907, spoke in Loughborough in September, 1912. Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/

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‘The General’ made clear the economic argument about the empowerment of women – that whilst they had no (voting) power their work was used to undercut the pay of men. In her “...broad lovable Scottish accent ...” she indicated that “... women wanted the vote so they might use it as a driving force to compel Parliament to legislate in the interests of women. If they had the vote Members of Parliament would pay more attention to questions affecting women.” Visiting speakers were again prominent when the WSPU hosted a meeting in the Town Hall’s Lecture Room in March 1913 with what the Loughborough Echo reported as an ‘unruly crowd’ of about 200 outside. Local Suffragettes ‘held the fort’. The Chairman was Charles Grey (from London). He asserted that “The offence of women was that they had stood up for a measure of justice ... because they had the courage to do that there were people in that audience who called out that women should be allowed to die in prison. Women were fighting for about the only cause worth fighting for to-day”. Miss Macaulay spoke “In defence of the militant methods ... not adopted from spiteful or vindictive motives ... but they had nothing else with which to fight against the fraud and trickery of politicians.” Subject to “…caterwauling and shrill shrieks, with remarks, many of which were decidedly offensive…” she defended the WSPU militancy.

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“For forty years … women had carried on patient, gentle work, which was met by cheating, trickery and fraud. When they found this was of no use, they for five years exposed themselves to being knocked about and hurt, and even killed, and still no one cared … so they determined to touch people where they would feel it most – in property. They chose property that would not endanger life … Women were at war … But when men went to war they damaged lives – women were satisfied with damaging property.” At the end of the meeting “… a large crowd waited outside the Town Hall front entrance for the appearance of the speakers, but there is more than one exit from the building …” and the Suffragettes were away. At a WSPU meeting in Loughborough Market Place on June 27th 1913 the speakers were Alice Hawkins and Miss Tyson. The latter was hit in the face by a tomato and the platform party had to be protected by the police. Her experience of Loughborough was much different from that in the recent Leicester by-election where she had been vigorously involved and had been heard “... with great patience and sympathy.” Miss Tyson noted that “The same arguments ... which made it right for men to have votes applied to the women’s case also. The working men found that until they had the vote the members of Parliament refused to deal with their grievances, and it was the same with women.”

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Quoting the “... ill advised words...” delivered at Bristol early in 1912 by the Cabinet Minister Mr Hobhouse in which he attributed advances in the men’s franchise to the uprising of ‘popular sentiment’ epitomised by the burning of Nottingham Castle (1832) and the tearing down of the Hyde Park Railings (1867) she said they “... have been made the justification for the militancy adopted by the WSPU.”

At the end of the meeting as she and Mrs Hawkins headed for the Great Central Station the crowds followed and they “... had to take refuge in Miss Watson Wayne’s Nursing Home. By way of the back door they went to the station, where they were assailed by clods of turf and other things ...”

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The next month another Market Place meeting was disrupted. Miss Snaith from Nottingham defended hunger - striking as “... a defiance of laws in the making of which women had had no voice...”. The following more militant and eloquent speaker, Miss Charlotte Marsh (according to the Loughborough Herald and Loughborough Monitor) or Miss Canning (according to the Loughborough Echo) pointed out that women “... had tried every constitutional method open to them ... to have the power to express their opinion at the ballot box.” As the various missiles flew, she made clear her intention to keep speaking for a further ten minutes, telling the crowd “They admired men ... who stood up for their rights, but they were down on women who did so. They praised men who protested and rebelled in self–defence, but denied to women the right to protest in their own way...”. Ignoring the bombardment, she completed her ten minutes, announcing “You see the time. I said ten minutes. Again, the Suffragettes have won.” With the crowd rushing towards her, the Suffragettes were escorted along Town Hall passage to the safety of a car waiting in Woodgate. As they left Market-Place, the scene “ ... re-echoed on all sides with catcalls and derogatory remarks, which were more vulgar than witty.” Overall, the Echo reportage seems to be at odds with its ‘Discreditable Scenes’ sub heading, assessing the crowd as “... not really angry and out for trouble, but seemed to have imbibed the idea that all such meetings were fair game for disturbance and they were not going to let Loughborough be out of the fashion.” 38

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Charlotte (Charlie) Marsh, photographed at Hyde Park in 1908, spoke in Loughborough in September 1910 and July 1913. Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/

The Market Place was becoming more frequently used because finding a venue to hold indoor meetings in the centre of Loughborough had been made more difficult. In May 1913, “ The question of letting the rooms at the Town Hall for meetings in connection with the Suffrage Movement was again considered and it was resolved the Borough Accountant be instructed not to let the rooms for such meetings, five members of the Committee voting in favour of the motion and one against [Councillor Clemerson – a Liberal].” The previous month the Council’s Estates Committee had approved the letting of rooms at the Town Hall “... providing a guarantee is given that any damage done will be made good.” No evidence can be found of any particular incidents in Loughborough in the intervening month which might have caused this change of heart. Indeed, towards the end of April, the local WSPU had arranged a women’s only meeting in the Lecture Room of the Town Hall on sex – or as the more formal title of the lecture put it ‘The Social Evil and how it will be affected by women’s franchise’. The meeting was addressed by Mrs A J Webb from London, who stated that “... all laws dealing with the question of sex are always unfair to the woman, because they have been dealt with from the man’s point of view alone.” The Fearon Fountain, Market Place, Loughborough Often the site for the dray from which various Suffragette speakers made their case in Loughborough. The platform was often assaulted — press reports mention it being pushed around the Market Place towards the present day Boots and near Barclay’s Bank. Speakers once ‘slithered’ from the platform.

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From this meeting, there is no report of any upset, damage or nuisance being caused which could have made the Council reconsider its original decision on lettings for meetings or events connected with the suffrage cause. No doubt some of the Councillors taking part in the later debate had been influenced by the regular and detailed coverage, even in local papers such as the Loughborough Monitor, of the range of ‘Suffragette Outrages’ across the country. At the full Council meeting Councillor Clemerson, who considered “... the Suffragettes in Loughborough had behaved themselves very well, and there was no reason to think that they contemplated violence ...” spoke against the ban since it was “... setting a very dangerous precedent, and he did not think they should go out of their way to ... annoy the parties mentioned and ... insult a class of people worthy of better treatment.” His move to reject the ban was lost, other Councillors considering that rooms should not be let “... to people who were breaking the law in their speeches ...” and were “... inciting to violence.” There is no recorded vote in the Council minutes. It would appear that no ‘party line’ was taken – only two other Councillors supporting Clemerson’s position. At this time there were no Labour members of the Council. The ‘working man’s’ representative was seen to be the Liberal hosiery worker, William Cartwright, who opposed his fellow Liberal Councillor, believing “..that these people were inciting to violence, and the authorities were trying to put it down, and that, therefore, the Corporation ought not to let the rooms to propagate it.”

The nearest to a Loughborough ‘outrage’ was sometime between October 18th and 19th 1913. At the ‘Red House’ on Burton Walks, a property formerly lived in by local land surveyor Mr W E Woolley but vacant at that time, the caretaker discovered that an oak staircase “ ... appeared to have been deliberately fired ... [but] the flames had burnt out.” The Loughborough Monitor reports that the likely reason for the flames not catching was “... that the persons involved were frightened by the smoke caused by the burning paraffin, and made themselves scarce without waiting to see if the stairway was alight.” Fire raising materials were found nearby along with “... a copy of the “Suffragette”, and a number of pamphlets headed “In memoriam. Miss Emily Wilding Davison, B.A. Why did she stop the King’s horse? A petition to the King.”” It appeared that entry had been gained through a scullery window.

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Photo Dennis Powdrill

Deakin claims that ‘outsiders’ were probably responsible given the “.. essential womanliness of those [Suffragettes] encountered locally no less than... their intense earnestness.” The Loughborough Echo reported that although the incident “ ...aroused a keen enmity of the locals against the [Suffragette] crusade ... there are very few even now who have any idea of blaming the local ladies...” So local opinion appears to concur that the attack on the Red House was unlikely to have been an unexpected, locally organised firing. There are possibilities that it may have been part of a wider, Leicestershire initiative : “ ...an arson campaign was carried out around Leicestershire with three empty mansion houses being targeted: the Red House in Burton Walk, Loughborough, on 19 October 1913, Stoughton Hall in May 1914 and Neville (sic) Holt Mansion near Market Harborough in May 1914..”

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But Loughborough’s Suffragette activity was not just the prominently reported public meetings and attempted more militant activities. There were small, lower key events locally. Often, the local reportage of these events is very brief – possibly because there was little tomato or clod throwing and no need for Suffragette speakers to seek the protection of the local police. The local WSPU held smaller, local events, presumably aimed at supporting and encouraging their local members as well as engaging new adherents. Typical was an ‘At Home’ event in the Unitarian Schoolroom, off Victoria Street, from 4 to 6pm on September 30th, 1912. WSPU ‘At Homes’ were frequently used to provide a supportive atmosphere for women to develop their public speaking skills. In Loughborough the WSPU, through Miss Allkins and the Corcoran sisters, also organised a ‘Café Chantant’ at the same venue in early March 1913. The Unitarian Schoolrooms, Victoria / Princess Streets, Loughborough Now converted to private residences, the block to the rear of the Unitarian Church was where the Loughborough WSPU held local meetings such as ‘At Homes’ and Cafés Chantants.

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Church bodies also hosted debates. In November 1913 Mrs Swindall presided at a meeting of the Victoria Street Church Guild on the subject of Women’s Franchise. Miss Corcoran (unfortunately, the Loughborough Echo does not tell us which one) “... explained some of the vital questions which ... could only be settled if women had a more direct voice upon the legislation of the country.” Mr Oldham opposed the extension of the franchise to women which “... would inevitably lead to women seeking parliamentary honours, and which he feared would lower the whole tone of politics.” After an ‘animated discussion’, “... the feeling of the meeting was somewhat in favour of the franchise being extended to women on the same terms as the ... male franchise.” Amongst other activities which gained publicity locally was the Corcoran sisters’ adoption of the ‘No Vote : No Tax’ motto. (Their interest may have been sparked by the visit of Miss Parkes of the Women’s Tax Resistance League in 1911). Kathleen, who by 1913 was acting as Secretary for the Loughborough WSPU, and Nora refused to pay their house duty. It was “... the first instance of its kind as far as Loughborough is concerned.”

In November Kathleen and Nora Corcoran “ … declined to pay their house duty, which amounted to 12s. 6d., the refusal being based on motives principle in connection with the suffrage agitation.”

“In default of payment … a large silver-mounted scent bottle and a silver-mounted mirror … were this afternoon sold by auction by Mr. A. Foxall, income tax collector. The bidding commenced 5s (25p) and increased gradually till [sic] 15s. 6d. (78p) was offered. At this price Mrs. Grey purchased the articles.”

“Following the sale, which was conducted in the street, short speeches were delivered. Miss Kathleen Corcoran said her sister and herself resisted the tax because they believed in the great Liberal principle that taxation, and representation must go together.” This, said Miss Corcoran, was the favourite text of Mr. Asquith. She hoped that next year the tax protest would not be confined to two women, but that more would come forward to show that they were not content with their voteless condition.” Miss Marsh also addressed the crowd gathered in the street. Suffragettes in Loughborough

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Months before the outbreak of war, there is some evidence that there was a WSPU Loughborough office opened in Baxter Gate. However, the evidence is from a local ‘gossip’ column in one local paper, uncorroborated by any of the other papers. At the outbreak of war “… the militants proclaimed a truce … later, no doubt influenced by representations made to the Government by men and women of every political faith – many of them never having been supporters of revolutionary tactics – Mr McKenna [Home Secretary] announced ... that it was the intention of the Government ... to release unconditionally, all suffrage prisoners... the struggle for the full enfranchisement of women has not been abandoned; it has simply, for the moment, been placed in abeyance.”

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The Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Volunteer Reserve (WVR) developed from the Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Emergency Corps which was formed in August 1914 with strong links to the Suffragette movement. (Picture kindly gifted by Dennis Powdrill showing his aunt Eva (Powdrill) Mitchell - fifth from the left, back row).

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The Corcoran Family Prominent in the WSPU movement in Loughborough were the Corcoran family. Rose Edith Corcoran (b Feb 3, 1868; d Jan 31, 1908), was married to Irishman Dr Thomas Francis Corcoran (1853 – 1911). He came to Loughborough in 1883 as a senior medical officer to the Loughborough Medical Aid Association, a friendly society based in what is now the Labour Party Office in Unity House, Fennel Street, Loughborough. Elected as a ‘non political’ to the Town Council on its incorporation in 1888, he took the post of Medical Officer for the Borough the following year and had to relinquish his council seat. Dr Corcoran also served as Medical Officer of Health for the Loughborough and Leake Rural districts.

Photo Dennis Powdrill

The Corcorans had 3 children : Kathleen (b 1886); Nora (b 1889) and Martin (b 1903). They lived at 25, Victoria Street, Loughborough until 1912. The Victoria Street property was demolished fairly recently to make way for new residential properties (Sovereign Court). In about 1912, the family moved to Castledine Street, to a property named ‘The Shanty’ (possibly reflecting their Irish heritage), now 72, Castledine Street.

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Dr Corcoran was a prominent supporter of ‘Votes for Women’ and took the chair at one of the early meetings in January 1909 which helped to establish what became the Suffragette movement in Loughborough. In the Autumn of 1910 he spoke strongly against “... forcible feeding ... an abominable proceeding... ” and “... advised women to squeal loud enough, to knock more policemen’s hats off and to break more glass in Downing Street.” In 1911, Dr Corcoran took a holiday to the Middle East intending it to help him recover from a period of ill health. It is probable that his daughter Nora was travelling with him when he died on the holiday in March 1911. He left £13,000 in his will to Kathleen and Nora along with a bequest to his solicitor.

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Kathleen and Nora Corcoran Before moving to Castledine Street, Kathleen had been arrested as a result of her Suffragette activities. On November 18, 1910 (‘Black Friday’) with a second 1910 General Election imminent, the Government was blocking another attempt (the Conciliation Bill) to extend the vote to women.

“...the WSPU sent a delegation of about 300 women to march on Parliament. They were met by a cordon of police; Emmeline Pankhurst and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson were allowed through but the rest were forcibly driven back.”

Kathleen was arrested. Her statement read: “On the deputation of November 18th I was taken to Canon Row almost before I was in the crowd at all… I saw a woman being disgracefully pulled by two policemen, one had her legs, the other had her shoulders. When I attempted to help her I was pulled away from behind and in struggling to get away a second policeman caught me. One of them bent my elbow over his arm, which hurt very much. At the time I was struggling to get away. At Canon Row they reported that I had kicked and scratched, which was absolutely false. I was wearing thick winter gloves.”

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With the election pending, the Home Secretary (Churchill) did not consider it ‘in the public interest’ to pursue prosecutions against the 119 Suffragettes detained. By 1913 Kathleen, the elder sister, was Secretary of the Loughborough WSPU. As we’ve seen and possibly linked to a meeting held in Loughborough by the Women’s Tax Resistance League, the sisters refused to pay duty on their Castledine Street home in April 1913. As the local WSPU Secretary, Kathleen was probably responsible for organising meetings of visiting Suffragette speakers to Loughborough and the area – as well as the more ‘routine’ meetings and events of the local group. This group probably held more events than those which reached the local press. With the Suffragette ‘truce’ on the outbreak of World War 1, local Suffragette activity ceased. Kathleen served as a Sister and Nora as a Nurse in the French Legion of the British Red Cross during the War. Kathleen served from March 1915 until November 1918 : Nora from March 1916 until November 1918. They were awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal for service to the British Committee of the French Red Cross.

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The local Wills’ (and other) Street Directories for the period continue to show the ‘Misses Corcoran’ living on Castledine Street until 1925. They are no longer present in the 1927 edition. Where and why they moved is currently a mystery. Kathleen Corcoran of 59 South Terrace, Littlehampton, Sussex, died on October 4th 1951 at the Nightingale Nursing Home, Littlehampton. Probate was granted at Leicester on March 3rd to Nora Corcoran and Thomas Martin Corcoran, Lt. Col. H.M. Army. Kathleen’s effects were £4588 5s. (£4588.25). Nora Corcoran, spinster, living at 32 Russell Hill, Purley, Surrey died on June 13th 1959 at the War Memorial Hospital, Brighton Road, Purley. Probate was granted in Leicester on October 12 to Thomas Martin Corcoran, Lt. Col. H.M. Army. Nora’s effects were £8659 7s 4d. (£8659.36). Kathleen and Nora, along with their father, had been prominent supporters of a woman’s right to vote. They had sided with the more militant wing of the movement in a (relatively) small Leicestershire town. In 2018, the centenary of women first getting the vote on the same terms as men, a public poll supported the erection of a Leicestershire County Council plaque to commemorate the sisters’ activism.

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In Conclusion Nineteenth century Loughborough was an industrialising town, expanding beyond its traditional dependence on hosiery. It was connecting to major centres (Leicester, Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester and London) through the railway network. It had a radical and sometimes turbulent political history – including Chartist gatherings and Luddite activity.

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Key features in the development of Suffragette activity locally included the early (from 1875) meetings with national speakers held in the town in support of women’s suffrage. Within three years of the foundation of the WSPU nationally the local Independent Labour Party (ILP) was promoting ‘Votes for Women’ and

had invited a prominent, working class Suffragette (Annie Kenney) to speak in the town. It is probable that the link with a strong ILP presence in Leicester (through the Leicestershire ILP Federation) also drew key speakers such as Alice Hawkins and Nellie Kenney to Loughborough.

Locally, there were clearly activists. Miss Hardy, Miss Chilton, Miss Judges, Miss Allkins and Nora and Kathleen Corcoran were prominent. (The role of Dr Thomas Corcoran should not be forgotten). By early 1909, a local WSPU organisation had been established: one of 79 in the UK outside London. In a usually Liberal Parliamentary Division, the attitude of the MP (Maurice Levy) to womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s suffrage made him a potential target of the WSPU in the January 1910 election. Prominent speakers, including Emmeline Pankhurst, bolstered local initiatives. Whilst there was a lower profile in the December 1910 election, WSPU activity continued through to the outbreak of World War One: a mixture of local activities and nationally known speakers visiting the town. Hopefully, this book highlights a previously hidden period of womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history in Loughborough. It has been based on the reportage and commentary of the local newspapers and will hopefully encourage further research into WSPU activity in a smaller county town.

59 Liberal

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This book and the projects that surround its making are the result of over two years of discussion, activities and work by local groups and individuals. The culminating outdoor event of the project was brilliantly undertaken by Loughborough Library Local Studies Volunteers who restaged the 1929 Election as part of Charnwood Arts Picnic in the Park event in the centre of Loughborough.

Although some women and most men were granted the vote in 1919 Universal Suffrage was not to come until the Electoral Vote of 1929 56

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100 years on and an event attended by a former government minister and our local MP Nicky Morgan in a Government presided over by a female Prime Minister.

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The Representation of the People Project Our project came together through the networking and interest of different groups in Loughborough and the initial research undertaken by local resident Mike Shuker. Talks by Mike to present his research led to further aspirations to commemorate the passing of the Representation of the People Act in 2018. Our first event in 2017 took place in Loughborough Market Place and was a brief theatre piece with Chorus Theatre to commemorate the first reading of the Act. From this and further public consultation a proposal was put forward for funding by the (then named) Heritage Lottery Fund. The project itself began with the composition and display of an exhibition to commemorate the passing of the Act itself which took place at Loughborough Library and in Charnwood Museum. At the same time a trail was formulated to relate the story of Suffragettes in Loughborough.

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The project also developed a community play through Chorus Theatre - ‘The Sisters of Castledine Street’ - to tell the story of the Suffragettes. A weekend of other events was also held under the title of the Deeds Not Words Festival. Mike Shuker’s research was also published as a book and then expanded to this publication with further images and text. Over 7,000 ‘Heart of Three Cities’ newspapers featuring information about the project and Loughborough’s Suffragettes were distributed door to door. In the following pages you can follow some of the things that happened through images from and designs used in the programme itself. Suffragettes in Loughborough

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Heart 2018 Heart of of 33 Cities Cities 2013 A Creative Summer in

Loughborough and Charnwood!

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Right: The cover of the 2018 Charnwood Arts Heart of Three Cities newspaper. Following pages: a selection of articles, events and designs from the project.

s, ion ts je c o Ex r P t t s, n dge u e b n Ev es sto et t a l g a G ffr u S

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Re ad o n f o r: Wh e re We L i v e and Wh a t We K n ow Lo u g h b o ro u g h M Charn ela wo o d Fo r e s t and th e p e re n n ia l PICNI C IN T H E PA RK!

Representation of the People and

“We are meeting today to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women being allowed to have the vote in Britain...”

This Act was the first to include practically all men in the political system from the age of 21 extending the franchise by 5.6 million men. Class inequalities were still maintained though with some people having two votes - 7% of the population enjoyed a plural vote in the 1918 election: mostly middle-class men who had an extra vote due to a university constituency, but there was an increase in constituencies in Britain’s northern, industrial conurbations. It was not until 1928 that full and equal suffrage was achieved.

The right for women to vote was hard won over many years of campaigning. Loughborough had a strong, grass roots movement. An exhibition ‘Votes for Women’ was launched in February at Loughborough Library and Charnwood Museum to illustrate the actions of women who made reasoned arguments and appeals to social justice, and also those who tired of the constant obstructions and resorted to civil disobedience and violence towards property. A timeline showed the notable people and events from the earliest meeting in 1875 to the outbreak of war in 1914, when Loughborough became an important centre for training war workers and women took their part in the war effort. The exhibition was devised and mounted by Mike Shuker and the Labour History Group, with support from Loughborough Library Local Studies Volunteers and Charnwood Museum as part of the wider project commemorating Loughborough’s Suffragettes. Elements of it will be on display at our ‘Deeds Not Words’ Festival in May.

Loughborough’s Suffragettes Extracts from Lord Willy Bach’s speech to open the Suffragettes exhibition on the 6th February 2018

The 1918 Representation of the People Act increased the electorate to about 21 million. 8.4 million were women. Therefore the Act gave women a 40% ‘stake’ in elections. About 22% of women 30 years of age and above were excluded from the right to vote as they were not ‘property owning’.

Here we are 100 years on. Much has been achieved, but everyone here knows how much more there is to do before men and women are truly equal. We have to continue to work for that equality, but it is surely apposite for today we should take time to remember the achievements of such brave, determined women.”

“...it is the moment to acknowledge a major event, and above all to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of so many women, some of whom gave their lives, many of whom suffered cruelty and indignity, who sacrificed so much for the principle of equality under the law. Let us also praise the men who supported them, as well as remembering the barbarism and inhumanity of the methods used over many years by other powerful men in order to prevent this happening. In Parliament and across Britain the Royal Assent to the Bill is being remembered, and it is absolutely fitting it should be here, in this town, where as the exhibition makes clear the fight for women’s suffrage began in 1875 with a meeting in the Town Hall, and which over many long years was sustained until victory was won. I have been asked to speak by what is just an accident of birth – but an accident I am very proud of! My grandmother was born Ada Goulden and her elder sister was Emmeline Goulden – who of course became Emmeline Pankhurst, the founder of the WSPU and leader of the Suffragette movement. So Emmeline Pankhurst was my great aunt, and her two remarkable daughters Christabel and Sylvia cousins.

Loughborough Library Local Studies Volunteers are acknowledging the historical legacy of votes for women in the UK, by featuring the 1929 so-called “Flapper Election” – complete with Polling Station at this year’s Picnic in the Park.

Mrs Pankhurst visited Loughborough and spoke in the Town Hall on the 19th of January 1910. Bertha Clarke cycled from Leicester, adorned in WSPU colours, and recalled that ‘Mrs Pankhurst carried her audience off its feet with her powerful interpretation of the great moral issues of the movement.’ What finally persuaded the Coalition Government to give women the vote has been argued about by historians ever since. Of course women’s part in the war effort was important, but nothing will ever persuade me the Suffragette and the Suffragist movements didn’t play a crucial role in achieving the vote.

Back in 1929, the result was a hung Parliament with Ramsey MacDonald winning the majority of seats. At this year’s Picnic in the Park he will be present shaking hands and canvassing for votes for his party. Loughborough’s very own suffragettes will be marching with placards inviting the public to enter the Polling Booth to cast their votes for one of the three candidates.There will be explanatory electioneering handouts outlining the campaign claims for each of the parties. A Suffragette Trail around Loughborough, available in leaflet form, will follow in the footsteps of local suffragettes and tell of their contribution to the campaign for votes for women. Returning Officer, Mr. Lez Cope-Newman, will announce the results of the election at 3.00pm.

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

The earliest meeting held in Loughborough in support of votes for women was at the Town Hall on April 2nd 1875. The speaker was Jane Ronniger under the auspices of the “London National Society for Women’s Suffrage”.

Further meetings were held in on February 5th, 1879 at Loughborough Town Hall (Speaker: Caroline Biggs) and on March 14th 1887 at the Corn Exchange. The sitting MP Edward de Lisle was invited to attend but curtly refused.

| Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Heart of 3 Cities 2018

DEEDS NOT WORDS 2nd to 6th May 2018 2018 marks 100 years since the Representation of the People Act gave voting rights to women for the first time. Charnwood Arts in partnership with Chorus Theatre have created the Deeds Not Words Festival to celebrate this landmark moment in British history. This project has been made possible thanks to support from the Heritage Lottery Fund. We are delighted to welcome Professor Patricia Fara from Cambridge University to open the festival with a talk on Science and Suffrage, based on her recent book “A Lab of One’s Own”. The festival will also feature another opportunity to see extracts from the recent exhibition Votes For Women, a Café Chantant music event, Suffragette speeches in Loughborough Town Centre, and a guided walk across Loughborough. The centrepiece of the festival is a brand-new community play The Sisters of Castledine Street. The performance has been devised by the participants in collaboration with Chorus Theatre, and will recount events surrounding the Act and the connections with Loughborough.

The Deeds Not Words Festival offers an eclectic mix of talks, music, and storytelling to bring this fascinating section of history to life.

Votes for Women – Suffragette Talk Follow the history of the fight for Votes for Women through the 19th and 20th centuries. A talk by Nick Marshall.

Thursday 3rd May - 6.30pm Loughborough Library

Tickets: £3.50 including refreshments

Call: 0116 3052420

Votes for Women Exhibition

The exhibition Votes for Women showed the strength of the local, grass roots Suffragette movement. Another chance to see excerpts of the Suffragette Exhibition at Fearon Hall during the performances of The

Sisters of

Castledine Street.

The Sisters of Castledine Street Chorus Theatre present a brand-new community play telling the stories of the Suffragettes and their connections with two sisters from Loughborough. Featuring a cast of community participants and directed by Andrew McWilliam.

Thursday 3rd, Friday 4th and Saturday 5th May - 7.30pm Fearon Hall Drama Studio, Rectory Road, Loughborough

All tickets: £4

Call: 01509 822558

Email: office@chorustheatre.co.uk

Suffraget te Footsteps

Suffragette Footsteps is a trail to follow the important people, places and events around Loughborough in the footsteps of the women (and a few men) who supported the Suffragette cause. It takes us from the Market Place where Suffragette rallies were held, often facing hostile and abusive crowds, past the Town Hall where Emmeline Pankhurst and Dorothy Pethick spoke. Loughborough Town Council banned meetings in the Town Hall because of the bad behaviour of the crowds. The trail continues along Victoria Street, Burton Walks and Castledine Street, referring to Dr Corcoran and his daughters Kathleen and Norah Corcoran, the sites of events and meetings and the only recorded act of violence in the attempt to fire the Red House. The Corcoran sisters refused to pay the duty on their house in Castledine Street (‘no taxation without representation’) and their goods were auctioned in the street to pay off the debt.

Saturday 5th May - 10.30am

‘A Lab of One's Own’: Science and Suffrage in the First World War

Patricia Fara commemorates the untold lives of female scientists, doctors and engineers who, during the war, undertook endeavours normally reserved for men. Suffrage campaigners aligned with them to defy the protests about their intellectual inferiority and child-bearing responsibilities. She also shows what happened to them after the war. Patricia Fara lectures in the History of Science at Cambridge, where she is a Fellow of Clare College. She is the President of the British Society for the History of Science. Patricia Fara’s lecture opens the HLF funded programme of community plays and re-enactments concerning the local, grass roots Suffragette movement.

Wednesday 2nd May – 5.00pm

Loughborough University Design School, Room 017

Bookings: http://bit.ly/PatriciaFara Email: M.I.O.Varela-Silva@lboro.ac.uk

Meet at 10.30am outside Lloyds Bank, Market Place. The walk will last approximately an hour and a half.

ACome Suffraget te Speaks along to Loughborough Town Centre to hear

Cafe Chantant Join us for a drink, songs, and music as Bill Brookman

Saturday 5th May - from 2.00pm

The Hop Loft at The Swan-in-the-Rushes, Loughborough

speeches delivered to assembled supporters (and non-supporters!). Performed by Siobhan Smith and members of Frenzy Youth Theatre. Loughborough Town Centre

and Company present The Scurrilous Suffragette Music Hall Show!

Sunday 6th May - from 7.00pm

Picnic in the Park - Saturday 9th June

Featuring a re-enactment of the 1929 so-called “Flapper Election” by Loughborough Library Local Studies Volunteers – complete with Polling Station! The Volunteers are presenting a salute to the very first General Election when both men and women over the age of 21 were able to vote.

The Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

Annie Kenney came to Loughborough in 1906 to speak at a meeting organised by the Independent Labour Party in the Market Place. She had already been imprisoned in Strangeways for disrupting a Liberal Rally in Manchester.

“Men said it was unwomanly to enter into politics but they did not think it unwomanly to do rag picking or chain making...” - Gladice Keevil, of the Women’s Social and Political Union, Speaker at Loughborough Town Hall meeting in January 1909.

| Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Representation of the People and The The 1918 1918 Representation Representation of of the the People People Act Act increased increased the theelectorate electorate to to about about2121million. million. 8.4 8.4 million werewomen. women. Therefore thegave Act women gave million were Therefore the Act women a 40%in‘stake’ in elections. About 22% of a 40% ‘stake’ elections. About 22% of women 30 women 30age years of above age and above were excluded years of and were excluded from the from rightas tothey votewere as they were not owning’. ‘property rightthe to vote not ‘property owning’. This Act was the first to include practically all men This Act was thesystem first tofrom include all men in the political the practically age of 21 extending inthe thefranchise political by system from the age of 21 extending 5.6 million men. the franchise by 5.6 million men. Class inequalities were still maintained though Class inequalities still maintained with some peoplewere having two votes - 7%though of the with some people - 7%election: of the population enjoyedhaving a pluraltwo votevotes in the 1918 population enjoyed a plural in extra the 1918 mostly middle-class men who vote had an vote election: middle-class men but whothere had was an due to amostly university constituency, extra vote due to a universityinconstituency, but an increase in constituencies Britain’s northern, there was an increase in constituencies in 1928 Britain’s industrial conurbations. It was not until that northern, industrial conurbations. It was not until full and equal suffrage was achieved. 1928 that full and equal suffrage was achieved.

The right for women to vote was hard won over The right for of women to vote wasLoughborough hard won over many many years campaigning. had of campaigning. Loughborough had a strong, ayears strong, grass roots movement. An exhibition grass roots movement. An exhibition ‘Votes for ‘Votes for Women’ was launched in February at Women’ was launched February at Loughborough Loughborough Libraryinand Charnwood Museum Library and Charnwood to illustrate the to illustrate the actions Museum of women who made actions of arguments women who and made appeals reasoned to arguments reasoned social and appeals to social andof also who justice, and also those justice, who tired thethose constant tired of the constant obstructions resorted to obstructions and resorted to civiland disobedience civilviolence disobedience andproperty. violence towards property. and towards A timeline showedA timeline showed the notable people andthe events from the notable people and events from earliest the earliest meeting in 1875 to the of outbreak war meeting in 1875 to the outbreak war in of 1914, in 1914, when Loughborough an important when Loughborough became became an important centre centre for war training war and workers and women took for training workers women took their part in the war effort. intheir the part war effort. The exhibition exhibition was was devised devised and and mounted mounted by by The Mike Shuker Shuker and and the the Labour Labour History History Group, Group, with with Mike supportfrom fromLoughborough LoughboroughLibrary Library Local LocalStudies Studies support Volunteers and and Charnwood Charnwood Museum Museum as as part part of of the the Volunteers wider project project commemorating commemorating Loughborough’s Loughborough’s wider Suffragettes.Elements Elementsof ofititwill willbe beon ondisplay displayat atour our Suffragettes. ‘Deeds Not Words’ Festival in May. ‘Deeds Not Words’ Festival in May.

The TheSuffragettes SuffragettesininLoughborough Loughborough(Courtesy (CourtesyofofMichael MichaelShuker, Shuker,Loughborough LoughboroughLabour LabourHistory HistoryGroup) Group)

The Theearliest earliestmeeting meetingheld heldininLoughborough Loughboroughininsupport supportofofvotes votesfor forwomen womenwas wasatatthe theTown TownHall Hallon onApril April2nd 2nd1875. 1875.The Thespeaker speakerwas was Jane JaneRonniger Ronnigerunder underthe theauspices auspicesofofthe the“London “LondonNational NationalSociety Societyfor forWomen’s Women’sSuffrage”. Suffrage”.

| Suffragettes in Loughborough

| Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Loughborough’sSuffragettes Suffragettes Loughborough’s Here are 100 years Much has been achieved, but Extractsfrom from Lord Willy Bach’s speech Here wewe are 100 years on.on.Much has been achieved, but Extracts Lord Willy Bach’s speech everyone here knows how much more there before openthe the Suffragettes exhibition here knows how much more there is is to to dodo before totoopen Suffragettes exhibition onon everyone men and women are truly equal.We We have continue the6th 6thFebruary February 2018 men and women are truly equal. have to to continue to to the 2018

work that equality, but it is surely apposite today work forfor that equality, but it is surely apposite forfor today wewe shouldtake taketime timetoto remember the achievements such should remember the achievements of of such brave, determined women.” “We are meeting today celebrate 100th brave, determined women.” “We are meeting today to to celebrate thethe 100th anniversary women being allowed to have anniversary ofof women being allowed to have thethe vote Britain...” vote inin Britain...” “...it is the moment to acknowledge a major event, “...it is the moment to acknowledge a major event, andabove aboveallall celebrate extraordinary and to to celebrate thethe extraordinary achievementsof of so so many some of whom achievements manywomen, women, some of gave gave their their lives,lives, manymany of whom suffered cruelty whom of whom suffered and indignity, whowho sacrificed so so much cruelty and indignity, sacrificed muchfor forthe principle of of equality under the law. the principle equality under the law.Let Letususalso praise the men who well as also praise the men whosupported supportedthem, them, as as well barbarismand and inhumanity asremembering remembering the the barbarism inhumanity the methods used over many years other ofof the methods used over many years by by other powerful men in order to prevent happening. powerful men in order to prevent thisthis happening. Parliamentand andacross acrossBritain Britain Royal InInParliament thethe Royal Assent the is being remembered, Assent toto the BillBill is being remembered, andand it isit is absolutely fitting it should here, in this town, absolutely fitting it should bebe here, in this town, where the exhibition makes clear fight where asas the exhibition makes clear thethe fight for for women’s suffrage began 1875 with a meeting women’s suffrage began in in 1875 with a meeting theTown Town Hall, and many long years ininthe andwhich whichover over many long was was sustained untiluntil victory was was won.won. years sustained victory I have been asked speak what is just I have been asked to to speak by by what is just an an accident birth – but accident I am very proud accident ofof birth – but an an accident I am very proud My grandmother grandmother was born of!of! My born Ada AdaGoulden Gouldenand herher elder sister waswas Emmeline Goulden – who and elder sister Emmeline Goulden – of course becamebecame Emmeline Pankhurst,Pankhurst, the founder who of course Emmeline of founder the WSPU andWSPU leaderand of leader the Suffragette Loughborough Library Library Local Local Studies Studies Volunteers Volunteers areare the of the of the Loughborough movement. So Emmeline Pankhurst was my acknowledging acknowledging the historical legacy votes women Suffragette movement. So Emmeline Pankhurst the historical legacy of of votes forfor women in in great herand twoher remarkable daughters the the UK, featuring the 1929 so-called “Flapper Election” was my aunt, greatand aunt, two remarkable UK, byby featuring the 1929 so-called “Flapper Election” – – Christabel and Sylvia cousins. complete with Polling Station this year’s Picnic Park. daughters Christabel and Sylvia cousins. complete with Polling Station at at this year’s Picnic in in thethe Park. Mrs Pankhurst visited Loughborough spoke Back Back 1929, the result was a hung Parliament with Ramsey Mrs Pankhurst visited Loughborough andand spoke in in 1929, the result was a hung Parliament with Ramsey the Town Hall 19th January 1910. MacDonald MacDonald winning the majority seats. this year’s Picnic ininthe Town Hall onon thethe 19th of of January 1910. winning the majority of of seats. AtAt this year’s Picnic Bertha Clarke cycled from Leicester, adorned the Park will present shaking hands and canvassing Bertha Clarke cycled from Leicester, adorned in in in in the Park hehe will bebe present shaking hands and canvassing WSPU colours, and recalled that ‘Mrs Pankhurst forfor votes party. Loughborough’s very own suffragettes WSPU colours, and recalled that ‘Mrs Pankhurst votes forfor hishis party. Loughborough’s very own suffragettes carriedher her audience its its feetfeet with her will marching with placards inviting the public enter carried audienceoff off withpowerful her will bebe marching with placards inviting the public to to enter interpretation of the of great moralmoral issues of the the the Polling Booth cast their votes one three powerful interpretation the great issues Polling Booth toto cast their votes forfor one of of thethe three What What finallyfinally persuaded the Coalition candidates.There will explanatory electioneering handouts ofmovement.’ the movement.’ persuaded the candidates.There will bebe explanatory electioneering handouts Government to give to women the vote been outlining outliningthe thecampaign campaignclaims claims each the parties. Coalition Government give women thehas vote forfor each of of the parties. AA argued historians ever since. course Suffragette Suffragette Trail around Loughborough, available leaflet has been about arguedby about by historians everOf since. Trail around Loughborough, available in in leaflet part in thepart war in effort form, will follow the footsteps local suffragettes and Ofwomen’s course women’s the was war important, effort wasbut form, will follow in in the footsteps of of local suffragettes and telltell nothing will persuade me persuade the Suffragette their contribution the campaign votes women. important, but ever nothing will ever me ofof their contribution toto the campaign forfor votes forfor women. and the Suffragist movements didn’t play a Returning Returning Officer, Lez Cope-Newman, will announce the Suffragette and the Suffragist movements Officer, Mr.Mr. Lez Cope-Newman, will announce thethe crucial role in achieving vote. the vote. results the election 3.00pm. didn’t play a crucial role inthe achieving results ofof the election at at 3.00pm. The Suffragettes Loughborough (Courtesy Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group) The Suffragettes in in Loughborough (Courtesy of of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

Further meetings were held February 5th, 1879 at Loughborough Town Hall (Speaker: Caroline Biggs) March 14th 1887 Further meetings were held in in onon February 5th, 1879 at Loughborough Town Hall (Speaker: Caroline Biggs) andand onon March 14th 1887 Corn Exchange. The sitting Edward Lisle was invited attend curtly refused. at at thethe Corn Exchange. The sitting MPMP Edward dede Lisle was invited to to attend butbut curtly refused. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Suffragettes in Loughborough

| 63

DEEDS NOT WORDS 2nd to 6th May 2018 2018marks marks 100 100 years years since since the the Representation Representation of of the the People People Act Act gave gave voting voting rights rights to to women women for for the the first first 2018 time.Charnwood Charnwood Arts Arts in in partnership partnership with with Chorus Chorus Theatre Theatre have have created created the the Deeds Deeds Not Not Words Words Festival Festival to to time. celebrate this landmark moment in British history. This project has been made possible thanks to support celebrate this landmark moment in British history. This project has been made possible thanks to support from the the Heritage Heritage Lottery Lottery Fund. Fund. from Weare aredelighted delightedtoto welcome welcome Professor Professor Patricia Patricia Fara Fara from from Cambridge Cambridge University University toto open open the the festival festival with with aa talk talk We onScience Scienceand andSuffrage, Suffrage, based on based on her her recent recent book book “A “A Lab Lab of of One’s One’s Own”. Own”. The The festival festival will will also also feature feature another another on opportunitytotosee seeextracts extracts from from the the recent recent exhibition exhibition Votes Votes For For Women, Women, aa Café Café Chantant Chantant music music event, event, Suffragette Suffragette opportunity speeches inin Loughborough Loughborough Town Town Centre, Centre, and and aa guided guided walk walk across across Loughborough. Loughborough. speeches Thecentrepiece centrepieceofofthe the festival festival isis aa brand-new brand-new community community play play The The Sisters Sisters of of Castledine Castledine Street. Street. The The performance performance has has The beendevised devisedby bythe theparticipants participants inin collaboration collaboration with with Chorus Chorus Theatre, Theatre, and and will will recount recount events events surrounding surrounding the the Act Act and and been the connections connections with with Loughborough. Loughborough. the

The Deeds Deeds Not Not Words Words Festival Festival offers offers an an eclectic eclectic mix mix of of talks, talks, music, and storytelling The to bring bring this this fascinating fascinating section section of of history history to life. to

‘A LabFara ofcommemorates One's Own’: Own’: Science and and Suffrage Suffrage in in the the First First World World War War ‘A Lab of One's Science PatriciaFara the untold untold lives lives of of female female scientists, scientists, doctors doctors and and engineers engineers who, who, during during the the war, war, Patricia commemorates the

undertook endeavours endeavours normally normally reserved reserved for for men. men. Suffrage Suffrage campaigners campaigners aligned aligned with with them them to to defy defy the the protests protests undertook abouttheir their intellectual intellectual inferiority inferiority and and child-bearing child-bearing responsibilities. responsibilities. She She also also shows shows what what happened happened to to them them after after about thewar. war. the Patricia Fara Fara lectures lectures in in the the History History of of Science Science at at Cambridge, Cambridge, where where she she is is aa Fellow Fellow of of Clare Clare College. College. She She is is Patricia thePresident President of of the the British British Society Society for for the the History History of of Science. Science. Patricia Patricia Fara’s Fara’s lecture lecture opens opens the the HLF HLF funded funded the programme of of community community plays plays and and re-enactments re-enactments concerning concerning the the local, local, grass grass roots roots Suffragette Suffragette movement. movement. programme

Wednesday 2nd 2nd May May –– 5.00pm 5.00pm Wednesday

Loughborough University University Design Design School, School, Room Room 017 017 Loughborough

Bookings: http://bit.ly/PatriciaFara http://bit.ly/PatriciaFara Bookings: Email:M.I.O.Varela-Silva@lboro.ac.uk M.I.O.Varela-Silva@lboro.ac.uk Email:

TheSuffragettes Suffragettesin inLoughborough Loughborough(Courtesy (Courtesyof ofMichael MichaelShuker, Shuker,Loughborough LoughboroughLabour LabourHistory HistoryGroup) Group) The

AnnieKenney Kenneycame cameto toLoughborough Loughboroughin in1906 1906to tospeak speakat ataameeting meetingorganised organisedby bythe theIndependent IndependentLabour LabourParty Party in in the the Market Market Place. Place. Annie Shehad hadalready alreadybeen beenimprisoned imprisonedin inStrangeways Strangewaysfor fordisrupting disruptingaaLiberal Liberal Rally Rally in in Manchester. Manchester. She

| Suffragettes in Loughborough

| Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Votes for Women – Suffragette Votes for Women – SuffragetteTalk Talk Follow thethe history of of thethe fight forfor Votes forfor Women through thethe 19th and Follow history fight Votes Women through 19th and 20th centuries. A talk byby Nick Marshall. 20th centuries. A talk Nick Marshall.

Thursday 3rd May - 6.30pm Thursday 3rd May - 6.30pm Loughborough Library Loughborough Library

Tickets: £3.50 including refreshments Tickets: £3.50 including refreshments

Call: 0116 3052420 Call: 0116 3052420

Votes Votesfor forWomen WomenExhibition Exhibition The exhibition Votes for Women showed the strength of the local, grass roots Suffragette movement. Another

The exhibition Votes for Women showed the strength of the local, grass roots Suffragette movement. Another chance to to see excerpts of of thethe Suffragette Exhibition at at Fearon Hall during thethe performances of of TheThe Sisters of of Sisters chance see excerpts Suffragette Exhibition Fearon Hall during performances Castledine Street . . Castledine Street

The Sisters ofofCastledine Street The Sisters Castledine Streetplayplaytelling Chorus Theatre present a brand-new community thethe stories of of thethe Suffragettes and their connections Chorus Theatre present a brand-new community telling stories Suffragettes and their connections with two sisters from Loughborough. Featuring a cast of of community participants and directed byby Andrew with two sisters from Loughborough. Featuring a cast community participants and directed Andrew McWilliam. McWilliam.

Thursday 3rd, Friday 4th and Saturday 5th May Thursday 3rd, Friday 4th and Saturday 5th May- 7.30pm - 7.30pm Fearon Hall Drama Studio, Rectory Road, Loughborough Fearon Hall Drama Studio, Rectory Road, Loughborough

AllAll tickets: £4£4 tickets:

Call: 01509 822558 Call: 01509 822558

Email: office@chorustheatre.co.uk Email: office@chorustheatre.co.uk

Suffraget SuffragetteteFootsteps Footsteps Suffragette Footsteps is a trail to follow the important people, places and events around Loughborough in the footsteps

Suffragette Footsteps is a trail to follow the important people, places and events around Loughborough in the footsteps of of thethe women (and a few men) who supported thethe Suffragette cause. It takes us us from thethe Market Place where women (and a few men) who supported Suffragette cause. It takes from Market Place where Suffragette rallies were held, often facing hostile and abusive crowds, past thethe Town Hall where Emmeline Pankhurst and Suffragette rallies were held, often facing hostile and abusive crowds, past Town Hall where Emmeline Pankhurst and Dorothy Pethick spoke. Loughborough Town Council banned meetings in the Town Hall because of of thethe bad behaviour of of Dorothy Pethick spoke. Loughborough Town Council banned meetings in the Town Hall because bad behaviour thethe crowds. crowds. The trail continues along Victoria Street, Burton Walks and Castledine Street, referring to to Dr Dr Corcoran and hishis daughters The trail continues along Victoria Street, Burton Walks and Castledine Street, referring Corcoran and daughters Kathleen and Norah Corcoran, thethe sites of of events and meetings and thethe only recorded actact of of violence in the attempt Kathleen and Norah Corcoran, sites events and meetings and only recorded violence in the attempt to to firefire thethe Red House. The Corcoran sisters refused to pay the duty on their house in Castledine Street (‘no taxation Red House. The Corcoran sisters refused to pay the duty on their house in Castledine Street (‘no taxation without representation’) and their goods were auctioned in the street to to pay offoff thethe debt. without representation’) and their goods were auctioned in the street pay debt.

Saturday 5th May - 10.30am Saturday 5th May - 10.30am

Meet at at 10.30am outside Lloyds Bank, Market Place. The walk willwill last approximately anan hour and a half. Meet 10.30am outside Lloyds Bank, Market Place. The walk last approximately hour and a half.

ACome teteSpeaks ASuffraget Suffraget Speaks along to Loughborough Town Centre to hear

Come along to Loughborough Town Centre to hear speeches delivered to to assembled supporters (and speeches delivered assembled supporters (and non-supporters!). Performed byby Siobhan Smith and non-supporters!). Performed Siobhan Smith and members of Frenzy Youth Theatre. members of Frenzy Youth Theatre.

Saturday 5th May - from 2.00pm Saturday 5th May - from 2.00pm Loughborough Town Centre Loughborough Town Centre

Cafe Chantant Cafe Chantant Join us us forfor a drink, songs, and music as as BillBill Brookman Join a drink, songs, and music Brookman

and Company present The Scurrilous Suffragette Music and Company present The Scurrilous Suffragette Music Hall Show! Hall Show!

Sunday 6th May - from 7.00pm Sunday 6th May - from 7.00pm

The Hop Loft at at The Swan-in-the-Rushes, Loughborough The Hop Loft The Swan-in-the-Rushes, Loughborough

Picnic 9th June PicnicininthethePark Park- Saturday - Saturday 9th June

Featuring a re-enactment of of thethe 1929 so-called “Flapper Election” byby Loughborough Library Local Studies Featuring a re-enactment 1929 so-called “Flapper Election” Loughborough Library Local Studies Volunteers – complete with Polling Station! The Volunteers areare presenting a salute to to thethe very first General Volunteers – complete with Polling Station! The Volunteers presenting a salute very first General Election when both men and women over the age of 21 were able to vote. Election when both men and women over the age of 21 were able to vote.

TheThe Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group) Suffragettes in Loughborough (Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group)

“Men said it was unwomanly to to enter intointo politics butbut they diddid notnot think it unwomanly to do ragrag picking or chain making...” - Gladice “Men said it was unwomanly enter politics they think it unwomanly to do picking or chain making...” - Gladice Keevil, of the Women’s Social and Political Union, Speaker at Loughborough Town Hall meeting in January 1909. Keevil, of the Women’s Social and Political Union, Speaker at Loughborough Town Hall meeting in January 1909. Heart of 3 Cities 2018

Suffragettes in Loughborough

| 65

More footnotes from the Heart of Three Cities newspaper - all information Courtesy of Michael Shuker, Loughborough Labour History Group The Suffragettes in Loughborough

1910 was an important year for Suffrage protests as it was an election year. Protests and meetings escalated, at which Dorothy Bowker and Dorothy Pethick were regular speakers, often escorted by police to ensure their safety. The Suffragettes in Loughborough

“Take all we can and clamour for more, like Oliver Twist and... never be satisfied until we can get the vote.” - Emmeline Pankhurst, addressing a meeting at Loughborough Town Hall in 1910. The Suffragettes in Loughborough

In an attempt to unseat the sitting MP, Maurice Levy, the WSPU set up an office in Baxter Gate, Loughborough. This was run by Dorothy Bowker and Dorothy Pethick (sister of Emmeline Pethick Lawrence) both of whom had been arrested for Suffragette activities. The Suffragettes in Loughborough

One of the most prominent Loughborough families to support Women’s Suffrage was the Corcorans. The father, Dr Thomas Corcoran, (the Borough’s Medical Officer of Health) spoke out strongly against the treatment received by protestors and urged them to “...break more windows in Downing Street...!” The Suffragettes in Loughborough

Kathleen Corcoran was arrested in London in 1910 on “Black Friday”, just before the General Election. However, she was not prosecuted.

The Suffragettes in Loughborough

By 1913, Kathleen Corcoran was Secretary of the Loughborough WSPU. She and her sister Nora refused to pay their “House Duties” (similar to the rates) arguing that “Taxation without representation is tyranny”. The Suffragettes in Loughborough

To meet their debt (62½p in today’s money) the Corcoran sisters organised a sale of their property and used this to promote the Suffragettes’ cause. The goods were sold in their front garden, draped in the WSPU colours and the sisters told the large crowd why the sale was happening. The Suffragettes in Loughborough

In October 1913, ‘The Red House’ on Burton Walks (now part of Loughborough Endowed Schools) was set on fire. Copies of “The Suffragette” newspaper were found at the scene as well as pamphlets in memory of Emily Davison. Not surprisingly, the Suffragettes received the blame. The Suffragettes in Loughborough

When war broke out in 1914, Emmeline Pankhurst suspended the Suffragettes’ campaign all over the country. Those who had been arrested were given amnesty and Mrs Pankhurst called on women to “...fight for their country as they fought for the vote.” The Suffragettes in Loughborough

The Representation of the People Act became law in February 1918, granting the vote to “women of property over the ager of 30”. It was not until the Equal Franchise Act of July 1928 that all women over the age of 21 were able to vote.

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Above: Mike Shuker leads the new town walk dedicated to the actions of Suffragettes in Loughborough. Below: The Cafe Chantant at the Hop Loft, Swan in the Rushes

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Suffragettes’ Footsteps On the Trail of Loughborough’s very own Suffragettes Follow a trail around Loughborough in the footsteps of the women (and a few men) who supported the Suffragette cause. Approximately, it will take an hour and a half. 1. The Market Place We begin at the corner where Baxter Gate, The High Street and The Market Place meet. Look down Baxter Gate towards the Beacon Bingo hall. It is likely that in a very close building opposite there Dorothy Pethick and Dorothy Bowker ran a Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) office during the 1910 General Election. We know that they had plans to reopen it in 1914 but the start of The Great War put an end to that development.

2. Now we turn around and walk to the centre of the Market Place where the Archdeacon Fearon Water Fountain (1875) was the site for the dray which many Suffragette rallies used as a speakers’ platform. This was the site of many Suffragette meetings. Crowds were often hostile and speakers suffered abuse and had to be rescued by the police. The dray was often pushed round the Market towards where Boots and Barclays now stand. On at least one occasion Suffragette speakers ‘slithered down’ from the moving platform. In particular the one on the eve of Poll of the 1910 Election when the WSPU set up their Stall alongside the sitting Liberal Party MP, Maurice Levy, which developed into a very lively event! On another occasion there are reports of the Suffragettes dray being pushed right around the entire Market Place and causing a great commotion. 3. Inside the Town Hall. In Loughborough’s Town Hall, meetings in support of Women’s Suffrage were held as early as 1875 — over 25 years before the Suffragettes were formed. Loughborough’s first suffrage organisation emerged from meetings here in late 1908, with Miss Chilton elected Secretary and Miss Hardy, President. A December 1909 meeting swung the body towards te WSPU when Gladice Keevil (WSPU organiser) addressed the meeting. Dr 68

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Corcoran - father of Kathleen and Nora, Loughborough’s leading activists who chaired it, was later to support direction action urging ‘breaking more windows in Downing Street’ and encouraging the knocking of policemen’s helmets! One year later on January 19th 1910, as part of the WSPU campaign to unseat Liberal MPs at the General Election, the renowned Emmeline Pankhurst held meetings here, one in the afternoon and a second in the evening. The afternoon meeting, presided over by Miss Dorothy Pethick “...was a great attraction ...the hall ... well filled by women only”. Bertha Clarke from Leicester, who cycled to the meeting felt Pankhurst “...carried her audience off its feet with her powerful interpretation of the great moral issues of the movement”. Of the evening meeting, she recalled a new recruit saying “I can understand women being ready to die for her”. In May 1913 the hostile Loughborough Town Council banned the Suffragettes from meeting in the Town Hall altogether.

4. Cattle Market Facing the front of the Town Hall, turn right and walk in the direction of the Cattle Market and Bedford Square. From the junction of the Cattlemarket and Granby Street you can see the site of the original Loughborough Cattle Market. It is now a car park. In June and July of 1908 there were suffragette meetings held and addressed by the prominent activist, Nellie Kenney.

5. Devonshire Square. As we now walk towards Bedford Square we pass through Devonshire Square. It was here in June 1908 that Kenney was reported to have dealt with a male heckler in a very effective manner: “I think if men had votes for their intelligence many of you would have them taken away”. From there, continue walking away from the Market Place past Geo. Hills Wine Shop into Bedford Square itself.

Look left across the Square. Cross Wood gate and then Bedford Street in turn using the pedestrian lights.

6. Victoria Street You are now at the junction of Bedford Street and the start of Victoria Street. On the left hand corner is a modern brick built block of flats — Sovereign Court. This is on the site of 25 Victoria Street where the Corcoran family lived until 1912 and Dr Corcoran probably had his surgery until his death in 1911. Kathleen Corcoran (Dr Corcoran’s daughter) was arrested in November 1910 a spart of a Suffragette attempt to enter the House of Commons.

7. Now walk along Victoria Street keeping to the right hand side. Arrive at and cross Albert Place. Walking on you will soon come to Princess Street. Look to your right and see the converted former Unitarian Chapel and Schoolroom. Loughborough WSPU members held regular meetings here. The Schoolroom was the venue for many of their events and activities. Here they held debates, WSPU At Homes and Café Chantant. Kathleen and Nora Corcoran and Miss Allkins often organised them.

8. The Red House, Burton Walks We continue on along Victoria Street. At its end you will come to Burton Street. Cross and go through the blue Victorian swing gate opposite into Burton Walk. Continue on the right hand side past various Loughborough High and Grammar Schools buildings until you come to a large late Victorian / early Edwardian house which has distinctive red drain pipes and guttering and a large and imposing front door. This is known as “The Red House”. In 1913 this was owned by Mr Wooley, but was empty. It was here on the night of 18th/19th of October 1913 that arsonists attempted to burn down the Red House. Ineptly the fire never caught hold and they only caused minor damage to the staircase. Was it the actions of the local suffragettes? Fire raising materials were found nearby but the Echo thought “there are very few even now who have any idea of blaming the local ladies...”. The perpetrators were never identified.

There are now newer buildings behind the Red House. However, if there is a glimpse of properties behind them, these are the houses that make up the parallel road to Burton Walk. This is a private road, Castledine Street. In 1912 the Corcoran sisters with their younger brother had moved from Victoria Street into The Shanty in Castledine Street. Might they have been responsible? Incidentally Dr. Corcoran, thought to have been in poor health, died when on a trip to Palestine the previous year.

9. Castledine Street Now retrace your steps back along Burton Walk, return through the blue gate and turn left into Burton Street. Walk the length of the street and come to the junction with Park Road. Turn left and when you come to Stanley Street turn left again. Walk the length of Stanley Street then turn right into Castledine Street. Walking on the right hand side of Castledine Street for approximately 100 yards you will come to a house with green gates, fences, windows and doors. Now No 72, it was named when Castledine Street was developed. Dr Corcoran was an Irishman. He had named the house The Shanty. All the houses in Castledine Street at time had names and not numbers. Currently the name plate believed to be the original has not been restored to the entrance gate following recent redecoration. Kathleen, Nora and their younger brother Martin moved there in 1912. By 1913 Kathleen, the elder sister, was Secretary of the Loughborough WSPU. The sisters refused to pay duty on their Castledine Street home in April 1913. This refusal to pay their house duty was “... the first instance of its kind as far as Loughborough is concerned.” The duty amounted to 12s 6d (62.5p). Gooda had to be sold off by auction by a tax inspector to meet the default. Charlotte Marsh, the first Suffragette force fed, is reported as speaking in their support at a meeting in the street at the time of the sale. By 1927 they had moved. Where and why is a mistery.

10. We are at the end of the trail...

Representation of the People Act 1918 — 2018

Supported by Charnwood Arts, Charnwood Museum, Leicestershire County Council Museums and Liraries, Loughborough Library Local Studies Volunteers and National Lottery Heritage Fund.

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Chronology 1870

Married Women’s Property Act.

1875

April – Loughborough Town Hall : Jane Ronniger speaks at a meeting in favour of women’s suffrage.

1879

February – Caroline Biggs addresses suffrage meetings in Loughborough and Hinckley Town Halls.

1870 – 1880

About 200,000 signatures a year collected on petitions supporting votes for women.

1870

Municipal Franchise Act secures rate-paying women the vote in Municipal Elections. Under the Education Act women become eligible to serve on School Boards.

1882

Extension of Married Women’s Property Act.

1887

March – Mrs Fenwick Miller and Mrs Florence Balgarnie (National Society for Women’s Suffrage) address a meeting at Loughborough Corn Exchange. November – Mrs Balgarnie addresses a meeting of the Loughborough Liberal League.

1893

Further changes to Married Women’s Property Act.

1903

October – Womens’ Social and Political Union formed by Emmeline Pankhurst.

1905

Daily Mail coins the term ‘suffragette’.

1906

January – Loughborough Independent Labour Party Branch includes a question on women’s suffrage to the General Election candidates in the Division. Liberal landslide : CampbellBannerman Prime Minister.

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Chronology September – Independent Labour Party (ILP) arrange Loughborough Market Place meeting with prominent Suffragette Annie Kenney. 1907

February – Maurice Levy, MP (Loughborough) tables motion in response to the Women’s Enfranchisement Bill – that no alteration in the franchise laws will be acceptable which fails to provide adult suffrage. (The Bill was eventually ‘talked out’). March – 2 women candidates, Mrs Jones (Lib) and Mrs Clifford (Cons) elected to the Loughborough Board of Guardians.

1908

February – Second reading of Women’s Enfranchisement Bill in House of Commons : Maurice Levy, MP speaks against. April – Asquith becomes Prime Minister.

1909

January – Meeting of the ‘Loughborough Society for the furtherance of women’s franchise’ in the Town Hall. Main speaker : Gladice Keevil, Secretary of the Birmingham and Midland WSPU. Establishment of Loughborough WSPU. Spring – Lloyd George’s ‘People’s Budget’ rejected : political crisis.

1910

January – General Election : Loughborough’s Maurice Levy amongst the Liberal MPs targeted by WSPU. His majority was reduced. Liberal Government re-elected, dependent on Labour and Nationalist votes. In Loughborough, Dorothy Pethick and Dorothy Bowker appointed as organisers for the WSPU : various meetings organised including visit by Emmeline Pankhurst.

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Chronology July – Conciliation Bill (which attempts to reach a ‘most acceptable for all’ solution to women’s franchise passed by 109 votes in Parliament. Refused Parliamentary time by Government. Autumn – Campaigning activity by WSPU in Loughborough announced. November - Kathleen Corcoran, from Loughborough, arrested as 300 Suffragettes march on House of Commons. December – General Election. Maurice Levy returned for Loughborough – majority further reduced - as part of a Liberal Government. 1911

May – On the 5th, a second and revised Conciliation Bill was introduced. It passed the second reading by 255 to 89. Lloyd George announced that the government had decided that further time would not be allowed for the bill that session.

1912 – 1913

Records of Loughborough WSPU ‘At Homes’, ‘Café Chantant’ and participation in local debates.

1913

January – House of Commons Speaker announces no suffrage amendment to Reform Bill. April – First release of Suffragette prisoners under ‘Cat and Mouse’ Act. – Kathleen and Nora Corcoran’s refusal to pay local tax . June – Death of Emily Wilding – Davison at Epsom Derby. – Loughborough Town Council bans suffrage meetings from Town Hall premises. October – Attempted firing of Red House, Burton Walks, Loughborough.

1914

June – Loughborough WSPU reported to have set up a ‘shop’ in Baxter Gate, Loughborough. August – Outbreak of the Great War and WSPU formal cessation of militant activity.

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The arrest of a Suffragette at â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Black Fridayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, November 1910. The Daily Mirror front page of the following day. Kathleen Corcoran, of Loughborough, was arrested at this protest. Source : https://commons.wikimedia.org/