Emmeline Pankhurst: A Biography

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.
While Emmeline and her followers had been waiting in the Commons
Lobby, Keir Hardie, as leader of the new Labour Party, had been replying to the

7

TO LONDON

(FEBRUARY 1906–JUNE 1907)