This week it was announced that a statue of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst will be displayed in St Peter’s Square by the end of the year. The bronze sculpture was approved by councillors and will be only the second statue of a woman in the city centre after Queen Victoria. Designed by sculptor Hazel Reeves, it will show the iconic Mancunian suffragette standing on a chair as if addressing a crowd, arm outstretched. Of the 20 legendary Mancunian shortlisted, Emmeline was chosen as the most iconic female deserving of a permanent memorial.
But who was Emmeline Pankhurst and what did she do that was so important?
She helped gain women the vote
Emmeline was crucial in achieving women’s suffrage in Britain during a time when women’s rights were nothing compared to what they are today. Married to a man 24 years her senior, Emmeline, with the support of her husband, founded and became involved with the Women’s Franchise League which championed voting rights for both married and unmarried women. After it’s collapse she attempted to join the Independent Labour Party but was refused membership due to her gender.
After her husband’s death, Emmeline founded the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), an organisation that again promoted women’s suffrage, focussed on ‘deeds, not words’. Admittedly, by todays standards, she would probably be considered an anarchist or political terrorist as the group, in order to have their voices heard, resorted to smashing windows, assaulting police officers and even arson to get their message heard.
She spent time in prison
Numerous women, including Emmeline and her daughters served repeated prison sentences where they staged hunger strikes to secure better conditions. Eventually some prominent members of the group left, including Emmeline’s daughters, due to their more moderate views on acquiring suffrage.
Activities were put on hold with the break out of the first World War to support the British government’s stand against the “German Peril”. They urged women to aid industrial production and encouraged young men to fight, becoming prominent figures in the white feather movement.
She achieved her goals
The passing of the Representations of the People Act in 1918 signified the first steps towards women’s suffrage. It allowed all men over 21 and all women over 30 the right to vote (this was done so as not to make men the voting minority due to the large number of male casualties during WWI).
Emmeline subsequently turned the WSPU into the Women’s Party which was dedicated to promoting women’s equality in public life. Sadly, Emmeline died on 14 June 1928, mere weeks before the Conservative Government at the time passed the Representation of the People Act (1928) which allowed all women over 21 the right to vote.
