Letter from Walter Dodgson, the husband of a woman involved in the window smashing campaign warning of a hunger strike at Holloway prison, 16 April 1912 (Catalogue ref: HO144/1194/220196)
Transcript
Woodlesford
W Leeds
16 April 1912
To The Home Secretary,
Sir
I have to call your attention to the hunger strikes at Aylesbury Prison + to the fact that my wife at present lies in Holloway Gaol under a sentence of 2 months hard labor [sic] for the alleged smashing with other or others of a window at Bow Street estimated at £3
I say alleged for though after her arrest she was sent by me as her solicitor a letter explaining the charge and offering to defend her, you or your officials at the gaol supressed the letter till days after her conviction undefended.
The point at present I more particularly wish to bring before your notice is that owing to your continued connivance at these hard labour sentences for political prisoners, you are in danger of having to supress a hunger strike at Holloway on a large scale without any properly qualified trained nurses or an adequate medical staff in the establishment.
You are personally responsible for the prison regulations being kept abreast of the spirit of the times, and at present you are jeopardising the health + sanity of scores of noble women. If a hunger strike breaks out in Holloway you may overcome it but you will be execrated and the just indignation + resentment will cloud the Government as well as yourself.
You cannot justify the long sentences that have been given to high spirited women – or the cruelty of your regulations to these political prisoners – as compared with Hooleys treatment. The position is ludicrous if it were not lamentable.
As my wife has been convicted after being subjected either to a trick or gross negligence I shall hold you doubly responsible should anything untoward happen to her.
I am Sir
Yours truly
Walter Dodgson
Notes/Glossary
execrated – loathed, cursed, denounced, condemned
Hooley – financial fraudster jailed in 1912, nicknamed The Splendid Bankrupt after signing his previous wealth over to his wife and living the same luxurious lifestyle despite his bankruptcy.