If you click here you will get to an excellent article from Reading Museum entitled “Five Reading citizens and the fight for votes for women” – Reading had an active WSPU, and I particularly enjoyed the descriptions suffragettes.
Mabel Norton, of Caversham, a member of the Reading branch of the Women’s Social and Political Union, which had a premises in West Street, Reading (shown below), was sentenced to seven days’ at Holloway prison for her part in a demonstration. She was reported as giving a ‘racy account’ of her experiences at a meeting of sympathisers on the 14 December 1911. Norton described how ‘I wasn’t a bit hysterical when I took a small hammer and smashed five windows one after the other. I did it quietly and deliberately. Then a walk down the street to the police-station cheered by a friendly crowd.’
Another local militant suffragette was Jessie Laws of Lower Armour Road in Tilehurst. She was arrested more than once (including for a raid on the House of Commons in June 1909 along with their first cousin Emmaline Pethick-Lawrence).
Next time that you are in town, have a look – the shop frontage can still be identified. Have a read and see what you think.
Mr Kydd
