The WSPU decided to use different methods to obtain the publicity they thought would be needed in order to obtain the vote.
The WSPU banner
The WSPU did valuable propaganda work in the North of England. Their plans turned into direct action, which consisted of politicians being questioned and interrupted, and MPs challenged and ridiculed during by-election campaigns. ‘Deeds not words’ was the WSPU’s slogan and a new style for the C20th struggle.
Emmeline Pankhurst wrote in her autobiography: "This was the beginning of a campaign the like of which was never known in England, or for that matter in any other country...we interrupted a great many meetings...and we were violently thrown out and insulted. Often we were painfully bruised and hurt."
“Suffragettes” was the name given to those women who used violence in their campaigns to secure the right to vote.
Suffragettes burned down churches, vandalised Oxford Street, chained themselves to Buckingham Palace, hired out boats, sailed up the Thames and shouted abuse through loud speakers at the Parliament, others refused to pay their tax. Politicians were attacked as they went to work. Their homes were fired or bombed. Golf courses were vandalised. Many suffragettes were imprisoned.
When a Suffragette was sent to prison, it was assumed that she would go on hunger strike as this caused authorities discomfort. Suffragettes went on hunger strikes, got weaker and weaker. When the Suffragettes were very weak, they were released from prison. If they died out of prison, this caused no embarrassment to the government. When those arrested had regained their strength, they were re-arrested for the most trivial of reason and the whole process started again. This soon was known as the cat and mouse act.
A woman being force-fed.
When Britain and Europe was plunged into World War One in August 1914. In a display of patriotism, Emmeline Pankhurst instructed the Suffragettes to stop their campaign of violence and support in every way the government and its war effort. The work done by women in the First World WW1 was to be vital for Britain's war effort. In 1918, the Representation of the People Act was passed by Parliament.
