ABSTRACT
Annie Kenney took up residence with Sylvia, at 45 Park Walk and, with the help of Dora Montefiore and Minnie Baldock, the wife of a fitter in Canning Town, was soon involved in contacting groups of poor women in the East End as well as helping in the planning of a meeting and a procession to take place on 19 February 1906, the day of the opening of parliament.1 Hardie advised Sylvia and Annie to book Caxton Hall, which could hold 700 people; various newspaper editors promised to give publicity to the events organised by the ‘suffragettes’, as they had now been christened by the Daily Mail. When Emmeline arrived in London in mid February and was told of the ambitious plans, she was aghast. How could they organise such an ‘impossible programme’? She would be made to look ‘ridiculous by a procession of half a dozen people and an empty hall’.2 Money was also needed for such a big venture, especially for fares for the East End women and for refreshments in Caxton Hall. Since Emmeline had no money to spare she sought sponsorship from two friends, William Stead and Isabella Ford, who generously donated £25 each.3 On the afternoon of the meeting, the hall was filled to overflowing with hundreds outside. Emmeline was standing on the platform when news filtered through that there was no mention in the King’s Speech of any to reference to women’s suffrage. ‘We must take a more militant attitude’, Emmeline declared. ‘The vote is our only weapon to bring about the social legislation we want.’4 She then led a procession of about 3,000 women, including 300 East End women, many of them carrying babies in arms, to the Commons. In the cold rain, the women waited outside the Strangers’ Entrance since only twenty at a time were allowed in to petition MPs. Although no MP could be persuaded to support the women’s cause, the experience convinced Emmeline that women were ‘awake at last. They were prepared to do something that women had never done before – fight for themselves … for their own human rights. Our militant movement was established.’5 The widespread press publicity given to the procession brought fresh recruits to the rank and file membership of the WSPU, as well as to its inner council.
