
DEPUTATION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, 1909 'Souvenir Official programme. A Deputation of Women will go the House of Commons on Tuesday, June 29', printed by Burgess, York Place, Buckingham Street, W.C., [1909]
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DEPUTATION TO THE HOUSE OF COMMONS, 1909
Footnotes
On 22 June, as celebrated on this souvenir and invitation, the artist Marion Wallace-Dunlop was arrested and charged with wilful damage for stamping an extract from the Bill of Rights on the wall of St Stephen's Hall. According to this 'official' souvenir it took 'two men over two hours to erase the violet ink stains with pumice-stone, soap and water'. Whilst in prison she instigated the first hunger strike. A week later on the 29th, a deputation set out from Caxton Hall to confront Asquith at the House of Commons. On being rebuffed by Asquith's private secretary at the door, Emmeline Pankhurst struck the unfortunate policeman, whilst another knocked off his hat. This resulted in a prolonged melee in which 3,000 police were engaged and some 108 women were arrested. Towards the end of the demonstration, a small group partook in breaking the windows of the Privy Council, Treasury and Home Office, using small stones wrapped in paper and hung on strings so as not to injure the people inside (Andrew Rosen, Rise Up, Women!, 1974, p.118-119).