claims, trivialises and belittles the contribution of the WSPU leaders to the
women’s cause. For Pugh, writing from a masculinist perspective, the political
commitment of suffragettes became a ‘substitute for love affairs [i.e. with men],
and hero-worship [of women] an alternative to physical passion [i.e. with
men]’.^76 Although he does not suggest that Annie Kenney ‘slept with’
Emmeline Pankhurst during her visit to Eagle House in April 1910, the implica-
tion is there. Emmeline looked upon Annie as a daughter, not a lover. And she
had other things on her mind at the time than sexual couplings.
Plans were now well under way for the procession of 28 May which Emmeline
regarded as a last chance for a peaceful demonstration to reveal the strength of
demand for women’s enfranchisement. Although the procession was organised
by the WSPU, it would include representatives of over 130 militant and non-
militant suffrage groupings, demonstrating to the world, Emmeline insisted, ‘the
essential unity which underlies any differences of method and of policy’.^77 When
King Edward VII died unexpectedly, on 6 May, the WSPU leaders, as a mark of
respect, postponed the scheduled franchise demonstration until 18 June.
Emmeline, who attached particular importance to the prisoners’ contingent in
the forthcoming process, pleaded for volunteers to stand in for those ex-prisoners
who were unable to take part on the day. ‘I believe that the sacrifice of personal
liberty that others may be free, the willing endurance of suffering in order to gain
the power to help the helpless, always has been, and always will be, the most
powerful appeal to the sympathy and imagination of the great mass of human
beings.’^78 The two-mile-long procession that marched from the Embankment to
the Albert Hall on that sunny day of 18 June was in high spirits since four days
earlier Mr. D. J. Shackleton, MP, had successfully introduced the Women’s
Franchise Bill as a private member’s bill to the Commons. The 10,000 marchers
with 700 banners and accompanied by forty bands, included all ages, ranks and
occupations of women, aristocrats as well as box makers and shirt makers;
detachments from the Colonies, France, America, Germany, Sweden, Denmark,
Holland, Norway and Italy also took part, illustrating international support for
the women’s cause in Britain. However, it was the 617 strong Prisoners’ Pageant,
all carrying wands to which was affixed a silver broad arrow, and the contingent
of women graduates in caps and gowns, that seemed to attract the special atten-
tion of the press. ‘It was a thing of sheer beauty’, opined theMorning Leader,‘a
multitude of fine women, wearing beautiful dresses, carrying beautiful flowers,
and holding beautiful banners ... the applause of a vast concourse of onlookers
followed it right along its nearly three miles route.’^79 When the procession
arrived at the Albert Hall, Lord Lytton, as chair of the Conciliation Committee,
was the chief speaker, but Emmeline preceded him with a short speech that
opened with the phrase, ‘One word: Victory!’ She then read a resolution calling
upon the government to grant facilities for the Women’s Suffrage Bill that
session. £5,000 was collected for the WSPU campaign fund.^80
Asquith, however, was determined that no such facilities should be granted,
although he was content for the bill to be granted a second reading. When his
PERSONAL SORROW AND FORTITUDE