Emmeline Pankhurst

1
Emmeline Pankhurst

• By Olivia Nelson
• ?

2
Background

• Emmeline was born on the 15th of July 1858
• She was the oldest girl of 10 children.
• Her father, Robert Goulden was a successful
  business man with strong political beliefs. He
  took part in campaigns against slavery.
• Her mother Jane was a feminist and began taking
  Emily to meetings when she was very young.

3
Early Years

• Emmeline was described as very intelligent and
  was able to read at age 3
• Emmelines father said "What a pity she wasn't
  born a lad. This made Emily angry as her father
  felt education was important for her brothers,
  but sent her sisters and her to a boarding school
  that mainly taught skills that would enable them
  to become good wives.
• By aged 15, Emmeline convinced her parents to
  send her to a modern women's school in Paris.
  When she returned five years later, she could
  speak French and had learned not only sewing and
  embroidery, but chemistry and bookkeeping.

4
Marriage and Family

• At age 21 Emmeline married Richard Pankhurst who
  was over 40
• They had five children, 3 girls and 2 boys.
• In 1898, Emmeline became a widow at age 40 and
  discovered her husband had left her with lots of
  bills.
• At this time women were not given the same
  benefit or pension as a man whose wife died.
  This made Emmeline Pankhurst decide to fight for
  votes for women because she knew they would never
  be treated fairly unless they gained some say
  over the law.

5
Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU).

• In October 1903, Emmeline founded the Women's
  Social and Political Union (WSPU).
• Their motto was "Votes for Women, and only women
  could join.

6
Protest and Prison

• In February 1906, Emmeline staged a women's
  suffragette rally in London. 400 women took part
  and marched to the House of Commons. This showed
  that more women would fight for the right to
  vote.
• In March 1912, Emmeline led a group of women to
  throw stones at 10 Downing Street.
• They then travelled along streets of London and
  smashed department store windows with hammers.
• She was sent to jail for 9 months and took part
  in a hunger-strike in protest.

7
The War

• 4th August, 1914, England declared war on
  Germany.
• On the 10th August the government released all
  suffragettes from prison. In return, the WSPU
  agreed to end their fight and help with the war.
• At the time she said
• What is the use of fighting for a vote if we
  have not got a country to vote in?

8
The War

• In 1917 Emmeline and her daughter formed the
  Womans Party and demanded "equal pay for equal
  work, equality of rights and opportunities in
  public service, maternity benefits and fairer
  marriage laws."
• During the war women worked in factories and did
  jobs of men such as bus drivers and postmen.
• This change helped womens rights and in 1918,
  women over the age of 30 were given the vote.

9
Death and Victory

• Emmeline died on 14 June 1928,
• Shortly after on 2 July, 1928, women were granted
  equal voting rights with men.