A couple of stories from the Bromley Record (1913) illustrating two different approaches in the campaign for votes for women at its height just before the First World War.
In June there was a 'letter box outrage' in Bromley 'High Street, near the Royal Bell Hotel', with 'An attempt to destroy letters - presumably by Suffragettes'. It seems that 'liquid of a fiery nature had been placed inside', damaging several letters. A message left at the scene read 'Asquith, do your duty and give votes to women'. This took place ten days after the death of Emily Davison, the Blackheath-born Suffragette who was hit by a horse in the 1913 Epsom Derby.
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| Bromley Record, July 1913 |
Meanwhile, in July 'the Kentish suffrage pilgrims arrived in Bromley', holding a meeting in Westmoreland Road 'attended by a very large number of people'. This was organised by the 'non militants' of the National Union of Women Suffrage Societies, who disapproved of the direct action of the Pankhurst-led Women's Social and Political Union ('the suffragettes'). The pilgrims 'wore a sash of red, white and green and carried a flag'.
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| Bromley Record, September 1913 |
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A fascinating post; the date in the second clipping made me put 2 & 2 together - after Bromley they marched on to Lee Green & then on to Whitefield's Mount on Blackheath (which I did a post on last week). There is a bit more on the March below which seems to have linked up with others in London.
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