(1858-1928) by Emmelia Maglinte Emmeline Pankhurst Emmeline Pankhurst was born in Manchester, England, in 1858. She was the daughter of Robert Goulden and Sophia Crane. Her father was a successful businessman with radical political beliefs. Robert took part in the campaigns against slavery and the Corn Laws. Emmeline’s mother was a feminist and at an early age started taking her daughter to women’s suffrage meetings. With this background, it is not surprising that she would dedicate her life to obtaining equal rights for women, and become one of England’s leading suffragettes. Richard Pankhurst Richard and Emmeline were immediately attracted to each other, but he was forty-four and Emmeline was only twenty. Emmeline’s father, Robert Goulden gave permission for the marriage to take place. In the first six years of the marriage Emmeline had four children. Christabel in 1880, Sylvia in 1882, Frank in 1884, and Adela in 1885. Christabel Pankhurst In 1885, Emmeline became a Poor Law Guardian. This involved regular visits to the local work houses and she was shocked by the suffering of the inmates. Richard and Emmeline were both active members of the Independent Labour Party. Richard made several attempts to be elected to the House of Commons, but his political career ended where he died of a perforated ulcer in 1898. Sylvia Pankhurst By 1905, the media had lost it interest in the struggle for women’s rights. Newspapers often refused to publish articles and letters written by supporters of Women’s Suffrage. Emmeline Pankhurst In 1914, England declared war on Germany. The leadership of the WSPU began negotiating with the British government, and on the tenth of August, the government released all suffragettes from prison, and in return the WSPU agreed to help the war effort. Two days later the WSPU announced that it was suspending all political activity until the war was over. "The Emancipation of Women" Spartacus internet Encyclopedia @ http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WpankhurstE.htm 5/31/00 Mitchell, David. The Fighting Pankhursts New York : The Macmillan Company, 1967 The World Book Encyclopedia. New York:: Groleir, 1992 Rowbotham, Sheila. A Century of Women . New York : The Penguin Group, 1997 Picture #1 - "Emmeline Pankhurst" from: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WpankhurstE.htm Picture # 2 - " Richard Pankhurst" From: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/TUpankhurst.htm Picture # 3 - " Christabel Pankhurst" from: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WpankhurstC.htm Picture #4 - "Sylvis Pankhurst" From: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WpankhurstS.htm Picture #5 - "Emmeline Pankhurst" From: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/WpankhurstS.htm |