Mrs Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence

Other sources: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4769024
https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/emmeline-pethick-lawrence/pgGA9A6GQXk8Mg
Elizabeth Crawford, The Women's Suffrage Movement: A Reference Guide 1866?1928 (1999); Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, My Part in a Changing World (1938); Jill Liddington, Vanishing for the Vote (2014)

Database linked sources: https://www.suffrageresources.org.uk/activity/3203/what-were-the-suffrage-campaigners-fighting-for
https://www.suffrageresources.org.uk/activity/3214/how-effective-was-the-votes-for-women-campaign-in-bristol

Family information: Married Frederick Lawrence in 1901.

Additional Information: Emmeline joined the WSPU in 1906, becoming its treasurer, and explained about her relationship with the Pankhursts that 'It became my business to give their genius a solid foundation.' She was an astute fundraiser and helped the WSPU to get a foothold in London. Emmeline was very loyal to the Pankhursts. She resigned as a Labour Party member when Christabel Pankhurst decreed that the WSPU should focus its energies on campaigning at elections against Liberal goverment candidates, rather than working to help elect Labour Party ones. She also stayed with the Pankhursts when Charlotte Despard and Teresa Billington-Greig broke from the WSPU to form the Women's Freedom League (WFL) in 1907, over the increasing lack of democracy in the WSPU ? although privately, it seems, Emmeline understood their concerns. In autumn 1907, she and her husband (see Frederick Pethick-Lawrence) co-founded and edited the WSPU newspaper, Votes for Women, which was vibrant and fresh. Emmeline was first arrested in 1906 for disorderly conduct at the opening of Parliament and was sentenced to two months in prison. In shock, she suffered a breakdown and was released after a few days, promising to refrain from militancy for one year. In 1909, knowing she would be likely be imprisoned, she nevertheless led a deputation to the House of Commons, was arrested again and sent to prison for two months for obstructing the police. It was a brave decision given her previous experience, and this time she coped better with her imprisonment. Her subsequent arrests similarly occurred at deputations or on charges of 'conspiracy' to incite others to damage property, although she herself took no part in this type of WSPU action. She was forcibly fed during her stay in prison in 1912. In 1911, she took part in the suffrage boycott of the government's census survey. She is classed as a 'resister' because she gave some details, but she took the opportunity to graffiti her votes for women protest across her census form. At this point, divisions appeared in the ideas between the Pethick-Lawrences and the Pankhursts on how the WSPU should move forward. The Pankhursts (Christabel and Emmeline) wished to increase WSPU militancy and its destruction of public and private property, through window smashing and arson. Emmeline and her husband believed that this extreme action would alienate the public and politicians ? even those who were sympathetic to the votes for women cause. Dissent was not accepted within the WSPU, and Christabel Pankhurst informed Emmeline and Frederick that she 'had no further use for them' and they were ousted from the WSPU. A number of WSPU members resigned in protest at their treatment. The couple kept the Votes for Womennewspaper and, when they joined the United Suffragists (US) in 1914, gave the paper to the society.

Other Suffrage Activities: Emmeline was commited to helping poor working class communities in London by improving opportunties and aspirations. She was a co-founder of the Esperance Working Girls Club in 1895 and of a dressmaking business, which paid its staff double the usual wages, as well as opening a holiday hostel for girls. During and after the First World War, she committed herself to working for peace and women's rights, through organisations like the Women's International League, the Women's Freedom League, the Six Point Group and Open Door Council. In 1918, she stood as a Labour Party candidate in Manchester.