route via Bruges, Emmeline was like a young woman again, delighting in the
smell of the ground coffee, the fresh bread rolls, the beautiful paintings and the
wonderful architecture, as though it was her first time abroad. ‘We were so
happy together’, recollected Sylvia. In Brussels Emmeline indulged in one of her
favourite pastimes, shopping, and bought a hat for each member of the family.
When some small mischievous German boys woke up a Swiss governess who
was gently dozing, she declared them typical of their race. As memories of her
Paris schooldays flooded back into her mind, she commiserated with the
governess, telling her about how badly the Germans had treated the French
after the Franco-German war.^55
After a stay with the Dufaux family, Emmeline and Noémie accompanied
Sylvia to Venice where they took great delight in buying large quantities of glass
for selling in Emerson’s. Leaving her daughter behind in an unknown city was
not an easy task for Emmeline since the emotional Sylvia could not stop
weeping, but Emmeline was comforted by the knowledge that Sylvia was staying
with a sensible, middle-aged woman from Manchester who was herself studying
in Venice, and lived as the guest of a Polish Countess.^56
Back home in Manchester, Emmeline soon became embroiled again in
another dispute with the male administrators of the Dr. Pankhurst Fund who
had passed a resolution that from the 31 December 1902 the allowance to
herself for the maintenance and education of her children should be reduced to
£50 per annum (payable monthly) until further notice. Emmeline was outraged
since she was dependent upon the money for her children’s prospects. In late
November, she wrote to Nodal again, stating that she assumed he was not
present at the meeting since the resolution had been passed unanimously. ‘I feel
too indignant for expression at this action’, she complained bitterly. She
pointed out that the subscribers would have handed over the whole amount
collected had she not desired that it should be dealt with as they had finally
arranged. In a scathing attack, she went on:
My whole expenses are based on the annual payment as first arranged.
I am sending 15/- per week to my daughter who is studying Art in
Venice & who will remain there and afterwards at Florence for some
time.
I must insist that I must have at least the regular £8-6-8 per month
in order that she may remain there & my third daughter continue at
the High School preparatory to going to the College. ... I should have
thought (had I been a man) there was something to be encouraged if I
saw a woman trying to do the work of a man as well as what is usually
thought a woman’s & striving to give her children the same opportuni-
ties that their father would have done.
It seems however that my crime is that of being too independent.
I feel now that I cannot let this matter go on any further. Either I
shall decline to take any more money from the Committee & stateWIDOWHOOD AND EMPLOYMENT