Extract from The Illustrated London News © ‘From pavement-chalking to arson, window-breaking and bombing: the progress of Militant Suffragism’, 24 May 1913 (Catalogue ref: ZPER 34/142 13)
Transcript
[Photographs left to right, first row]
Early Methods: A Suffragette writing on the pavement
Destructive militancy begins: A shop window broken
Arson: Remains of the burnt-out tea pavilion in Kew Gardens, a London landmark
Bombing: The Walton Heath House, leased by Mr. Lloyd George, damaged in explosion
Arson: The refreshment kiosk in Regents Park burnt almost to the ground
Destruction: Orchids destroyed at Kew Gardens
Obstruction: Mr Asquith “tackled” by Suffragettes
[Photographs left to right, second row]
Arson: A £2000 house at Cheam burnt out
Arson: Croxley Green Railway Station Burnt
Arson: Lady White’s house, Staines burnt (£3000)
Arson: Saunderton Railway Station Burnt
Arson: A house near Chorley Wood burnt
[Photographs left to right, third row]
Arson: A railway-carriage burnt on the London and South Western Railway at Teddington
Arson: House (Formally Mr. Arthur Du Cros) burnt at St Leonards
Arson: Tunbridge Wells Cricket Pavilion burnt
Arson: Fulham Park Bowling Green Pavilion burnt
Arson: Farington Hall, near Dundee, burnt with damage estimated at £20,000
Arson: The Highlands, Sandgate, burnt-postcard addressed to “Dishonourable Prime Minister” found
[Photographs left to right, fourth row]
Arson: A detective with captured petroleum-cans
Window-breaking: A hammer in a “Dorothy bag”
Arson: Hillcrest, Golder’s Green, burnt
Bombing: Where the bomb was found in St. Paul’s (X)
Arson: The burned organ of Penn Church, Bucks
Bombing: Bombs found at Bow Street and in a train
Bombing: A bomb and remains of a bomb at Walton Heath
Wire-cutting: A detective with telegraph and signal-wire cutter
The Suffragettes, who began their vote-seeking by such comparatively innocent devices as chalking announcements on the pavements, holding meetings and waylaying Ministers in the hope of securing their support, have, we need hardly say, now developed militancy to a very dangerous extent, and have caused much damage to property by breaking glass, by committing arson, and by exploding bombs. It must be understood, f course, that not all the outrages credited of late to those vote-seekers who have been called “the wild women” have been proved to be their work. Such matters are obviously exceeding difficult of proof; but there can no doubt that that a great deal of the damage done is due to the militants and no others. On this double page and on another page in this issue, we give a number of illustrations which depict the growth of militant methods and of outrages generally attributed to militant Suffragettes.
Chronology
| 1910 | 119 arrests at Westminster. Downing Street Raid, 159 arrests. Premier’s windows broken |
| 1911 | Procession of 40,000 women in London. Mr Lloyd George struck by an attaché case thrown by a male Suffragist. |
| 1912 | West-end shop windows broken. W.S.P.U. leaders charged; Miss Christabel Pankhurst escapes to Paris. Suffragettes sentenced for incendiarism at G.P.O. Leaders sentenced for conspiracy. Bomb found in Mr. McKenna’s room at the \home Office. Attempts to fire Theatre Royal, Dublin; a hatchet thrown at Mr. Asquith (it hit Mr. Redmond). Attacks on pillar-boxes. Signal tied up on railway. |
| 1913 | Windows broken. Case in Jewel Room at the Tower of London. Orchids destroyed in Kew Gardens. Much Damage to Golf links. House leased by Mr. Lloyd George damaged by bomb. Railway stations, houses and sports pavilions burnt. Vitriol used and shots fired at meeting. Bomb explosion Oxted Station. Empty train wrecked by bomb. Famous pictures damaged at Manchester. Bomb found in a Kingston train. Endeavour to blow up York Herald Offices. Bomb explodes in Newcastle C.C. offices; bomb found the Bishop’s Throne at St. Paul’s; and bombs (some “scares”) found in other places. Home Office forbids Suffragette meetings. Woman’s Suffrage Bill defeated. Raid on the W.S.P.U. headquarters by the police. |