Emmeline Goulden Pankhurst (1858 - 1928)

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Emmeline Goulden Pankhurst (1858-1928) In terms of personal bravery she was certainly heroic, however, it is

possible to argue that her actions, and those of the Suffragettes did

more harm than good.

It is significant that the Pethick-Lawrences broke with her in 1912

and that Millicent Fawcett also withdrew any semblance of support in

the same year. The reasons for these actions were Emmeline Pankhurst's

increasingly dictatorial command of the WSPU and the increasing

violence of her campaigns.

From 1912 the WSPU was run as a terrorist movement in which obedience

to the Pankhursts' (Emmeline and Christabel) was paramount. Even

Sylvia withdrew from the campaigns and concentrated on social work in

the East End of London.

On the other hand, it can be argued that the success of the

representation of the People Act in 1918 was at least partly brought

about by the latent threat of a return to Suffragette tactics.

Christabel had continued to edit 'The Suffragette' during the war

years and this was certainly a factor in the minds of politicians in

1918.

Emmeline Goulden Pankhurst (1858 - 1928)

[IMAGE]

Emmeline Pankhurst, c.1908 ©

'Deeds not words' was the motto of the Women's Social and Political

Union founded by Emmeline Pankhurst. It is a motto that could also

serve well to sum up Pankhurst's life, both as a woman and as a

suffragette. She worked her entire life for the cause of women's

suffrage, and was certainly not afraid to back up her words with

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