suffrage friends were rallying around her as she planned to take her election
message especially to the women of the constituency:
We begin our work of preparation next week by forming a woman’s
Social Club which will meet weekly to hear short speeches and be
entertained by the very best music vocal & instrumental. We shall also
have community singing of good old English songs. We are making
plans for the children later on. Our idea is to make friends with every-
body and replace class hatred & suspicion by Friendliness and
Cooperation.^25Soon Emmeline was to attend the first public function at which she would
appear as the prospective adopted candidate for Whitechapel and St. George’s,
and so she wrote again to Esther Greg, on 7 February, two weeks before the
important event, inviting her and Major Greg to attend. ‘It is to be a smoking
concert (men & women). Sir William Bull Chairman of the London members is
to speak with me. We shall have a good concert to enliven the proceedings.’
The people of the East End, liking a fighter, were warming to Emmeline’s pres-
ence. ‘Already I am invited to speak at Mothers’ Meetings, mission halls etc.
and altogether things look encouraging.’^26 Just over a week later, Emmeline was
writing with more good news. ‘We had our first women’s meeting yesterday’, she
cheerfully told Esther, ‘and formed our Women’s Club with about 60 members.
Not bad for a beginning.’ In addition to the help of Barbara Wylie, as chair of
meetings, and Kitty Marshall, of social activities, a committee had been formed
of four women who, continued Emmeline ‘know artistes of all sorts to keep up a
regular supply of entertainers. We have still to find the right head of a supply of
cars for transport purposes. I expect she will materialise in due time.’^27
Emmeline’s adoption as a Conservative candidate offered no relief, however,
from the necessity of raising money for political and social work, something that
was specially necessary since she had heard rumours that she might have to fight
Wedgwood Benn in a by-election. With her usual optimism, Emmeline told
Esther, that if the by-election came about they would need ‘good money getters
but I am not worrying about this for I am sure that good work will bring the
funds’.^28 Inviting Esther to one of the women’s meetings, Emmeline reassured
her that her car would be quite safe since it was ‘a quiet respectable well kept
square inhabited by evidently well to do people who live in early Georgian
houses & have lace curtains to the windows’.^29 But the pressure to find finan-
cial backers for the buying or renting of suitable premises for her East End work
was relentless.
In high spirits, the indefatigable Emmeline was drawing upon her extensive
knowledge of campaigning to fight her corner. She threw herself into the work,
visiting every shop, every tenement, every public house, and even held open-air
meetings.^30 But she was now sixty-eight years old and it was all too much; by
Easter her health had broken down. Emmeline’s old friends, Alfred and Kitty
CONSERVATIVE PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE