Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Centenary of Emily Davison's Derby Protest - Blackheath-born Suffragette

One hundred years ago today, on the 4 June 1913, suffragette Emily Wilding Davison was hit by a horse at the Epson Derby. She died in hospital four days later. Emily was a militant campaigner for votes for women as a member of the Women's Social and Political Union, and had endured nine periods of imprisonment and force-feeding while on hunger strike.  At the Derby, Davison ran out and was hit by the king's horse. While she had previously indicated that she was prepared to die for her beliefs, it is not clear that she intended to become a martyr at the Derby. Recent analysis of newsreel film suggests that she may have intended to attach a suffragist banner to the horse when she was hit.


Davison was born in Blackheath at Roxburgh House, Vanbrugh Park Road West on 11th October, 1872.  I am not sure if this house still stands - anybody know?


There's an exhibition on the Suffragette movement in the Greenwich area at the Greenwich Heritage Centre in Woolwich until the end of August. See report at e-shootershill on the 'plot' to blow up Shooters Hill reservoir that never was.

No comments: