Source Four: Extract from a leaflet from The Women’s Social and Political Union

Telegrams: “Wospolu”, London”                      Telephone: No.2724 Holborn (3 lines)

The Women’s Social and Political Union

Offices—————————————— 4, Clements Inn, W.C.

“We demand the Vote on the same terms as it is or may be granted to men.”

Founder and Hon. Secretary-Mrs PANKHURST

Hon. Treasurer- Mrs PETHICK LAWRENCE

Joint Hon. Secretary-Mrs TUKE

Organising Secretary- Mrs CHRISTABEL PANKHURST, L.L.B.

Bankers-Messrs BARCLAY & CO, Fleet Street

Newspaper- “VOTES FOR WOMEN”

Publishing Office-THE WOMEN’S PRESS, 156, Charing Cross Road, London W.C.     Tel: City 3961

Colours: Purple, White and Green

___________________________________________________________________

 

TORTURE IN AN ENGLISH PRISON.

We desire to place before you the case of a working man and a trade unionist who has been cruelly victimised by the Government for making a political protest.

Mr William Ball is a member of the National Transport Workers’ FederationOn December 21st last he was arrested for breaking two panes of glass at the Home Office. In his defence at the police-court the following day he stated that he broke the windows as a protest against the unjust sentence passed on MacDougall (another Suffrage prisoner), and also as a protest against Manhood Suffrage, which would bar the passage of a measure for Votes for Women. He had two daughters and two sons, and he wanted as much protection for his girls as he did for his boys. If the vote were extended to more men and not given to women on the same terms it would be an insult to all right-thinking men.

In spite of the fact that this was Mr. Ball’s first offence, that he bore a thoroughly good character, that his action was done from a purely political motive, and that it could not be called serious damage, Mr. Ball was sentenced to two months’ hard labour. Arrived at Pentonville Prison, Mr. Ball demanded to be treated as a political offender, and in particular to have the “ameliorations of prison conditions” specified by Mr. Winston Churchill in April, 1910, in the regulations framed specially with a view to Suffrage prisoners who had been convicted of offences not involving “dishonesty, cruelty, indecency, or serious violence.”…

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Extract from a leaflet from The Women’s Social and Political Union entitled ‘Torture in an English Prison, (Catalogue ref: HO 144/1183/218081)

  1. How and why did William Ball choose to support female suffrage?
  2. Why did he ask to be treated as a ‘political offender’?
  3. What clues does this source provide about effectiveness of the Women’s Social and Political Union as a pressure group?