A letter of introduction …

Hello, I’m Emily. You may know me as a member of the Women’s Social and Political Union, and a militant suffragette that fought for votes for women in Britain at the beginning of the twentieth century. But I bet you didn’t know that I was the first suffragette to set fire to a pillar box in December 1911, and without the authorisation of WSPU HQ – no wonder I’m labelled as a ‘rebel’ on that beer mat! 

I lived a short, but an action-filled life, where I strove to make a positive change in Britain. I attended Royal Holloway College to study literature for some time before I had to leave as I could not afford the termly fees of £30. Once I took leave from Royal Holloway, I worked as a governess to earn enough money to finish my studies later at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, where I received a first-class degree. 

I knew I had to fight to make a difference, that is was time for ‘Deeds Not Words’, and that is precisely why I joined the WSPU in 1906. I must say, I was quite the activist. Did you know that I was imprisoned eight times for numerous offences such as obstruction and assault? I wouldn’t let prison get the better of me, or my fellow suffragettes. 

Us suffragettes, we believed in ‘No Vote, No Census!’ so on the night of the 1911 census, I actually hid in a cupboard in the crypt beneath the Palace of Westminster. It was a great plan … well, until I was found, and my presence was thereby reported on the census. Worst of all, I was included on the census TWICE – I forgot to tell my landlady to not put my name down as present at my lodgings! Don’t you hate it when the plan backfires.

Inspired by my story? Well, over the next few months I will be sharing more stories about protest in Egham and the surrounding area, so why not follow Egham Museum on Facebook or Instagram, and check back here on our website, to discover more about the surprisingly radical history of our town and the surrounding area.

Written by Janhvi Acharya.