Volume 13 , Issue 47

1911 - Thirty Suffragettes Are Arrested In London Invasion

Was your grandmother or other female ancestry a member of the Suffragettes? Have you ever heard any stories of the Suffragettes?

Protestors are nothing new to the World! In The World Evening News, dated November 21, 1911, the following article concerning the suffragettes being arrested in London as their procession attempts to force police guard outside parliament. Here's the rest of the story below.

London, Nov. 21 1911 -- The police made thirty arrests while preventing the suffragettes from reaching the House of Parliament this evening and carrying out their threat "to push a way through the passages and through the lobby of the House of Commons and make a protest on the floor of the House."

The story goes on to read, "There is a law prohibiting demonstrations within a mile of the precincts of Parliament, and Caxton Hall, from which the suffragettes started, is less than a mile from Parliament Square."

"A strong force of police was drawn up outside Caxton Hall and foot and mounted men guarded every route to the Houses of Parliament.

"The suffragettes, however, were more determined than ever to make a demonstration against what they described as the great insult Mr. Asquith has given when he refused to give a pledge that the Government would undertake to pass a bill giving equal suffrage to both sexes. They called for volunteers for "dangerous service," whose duties were secret, but probably were to attempt to invade the House or make other physical demonstrations. "As the suffragettes left Caxton Hall and attempted to force their way through the police cordon, constables made wholesale arrests. Thirty demonstrators were locked up in the first fifteen minutes. An immense crowd had gathered.

"All the streets converging on the Houses of parliament were jammed with members of the suffragette army. There were enough policemen to quell a riot.

"The women attacked the place with fury and the officers were compelled to use considerable force. The streets were soon littered with hats, capes, and parts of gowns that had been torn from the fighting women."   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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