After spectators saying the horses had ‘all gone by,’ the article then goes on to say that ‘Had Anmer brought down the other horses that were behind him.’
In my opinion it is obvious that the reporter who wrote the article was not present at the Derby because he is using evidence from spectators and does not sound to certain about what did happen that day. However, it may only be an extract from a long article.
I then looked at source 2. Emmeline Pankhurst, the leader of the Suffragettes, wrote this (therefore as it is her autobiography ‘My Story,’ it contained a lot of her own opinion. The book was written in 1913 and gives the impression Miss. Pankhurst was actually at the Derby, (we know she was actually under house arrest.’
Like Source 1 suggests, it says Emily Davison ‘gave her life for the women’s cause.’
It implies that Miss. Davison’s reason for committing suicide was for the militant movement. It also says that sport is sacred to Englishmen and that is why Emily did such a thing.
However, Source 2 contradicts Source 1 by saying that the King’s horse was in fact ‘leading the race.’ It also gives us details of how Miss. Davison left the course, - ‘in a dying condition.’ It also says she died four days later.
Source 3 is an extract form a book by J. Ray, ‘Britain and The Modern World,’ wrote in 1969, (the book was written a long time after the event and so has a lot of hindsight. Also more would have been heard about what happened when this book was written.)
I think it is just a small part of a very big book, and so there is not a lot of detail on the event. This extract tells us Emily was ‘clutching a petition,’ (I did not see her with one on the video,) no other sources said she was doing this.
J. Ray also says the ‘suffragettes were provided with a martyr,’ this, I personally think, is his opinion and therefore at the time the book was written it was most definitely established that the suicide was for the suffragette motion.
Source 4 is a part of book called ‘The Emancipation of Women,’ by D. Brook, 1970.
It states that Emily Davison’s death was ‘the only successful suffragette suicide.’ It tells us she had to dodge police, (no other source has mentioned this,) to get onto the course.
It agrees with source 1 by saying the King’s horse was one of the last bunch. However, unlike the other sources it quotes ‘Quite by chance,’ implying that her action was spur of the moment and was not planned. Adding to this it, unlike all the other sources, says ‘she fell in front of the plunging hooves.’ The other sources say she ‘threw herself.’
This source is interesting as it tells us about Emily Davison’s history, (which apart form saying she was a suffragette, not other sources do.)
It says she had a long record of imprisonment and implies she was violent. Another interesting thing the source says it that ‘she was the first to talk about dying for the cause.’
It says although her act was brave, it was foolish and unnecessary and because the source has hindsight can say that her suicide brought the vote no nearer for the suffragettes.
Source 5 is very short and is an extract from ‘The Common People,’ G.D.H Cole it has the benefit of hindsight as it was written in 1961.
It agrees with all sources, expect source 4, by saying she did indeed throw herself under the King’s horse, but then continues to say that Miss. Davison died the next day, this contradicts what Miss. Pankhurst wrote in source 2 because she said she died four days later!
It says Miss. Davison’s suicide was a ‘sacrifice,’ and that it silenced the vulgar writers of the Press. But then agrees with source 4 and then adds it did not bring the vote any nearer too. Personally I don’t think the author cared too much about the incident, and was just filling up half a page in his book.
The last written account I looked at was source 6, written by D. Starkings in 1969, (has benefit of hindsight.)
It totally contradicts source 2 by arguing ‘Mrs Pankhurst’s cause was ruined by the madness of (some) women.’
This is obviously Starking’s opinion as other sources think that Emily Davison was a sort of martyr!
It claims she destroyed herself.
We then watched video footage of what happened at the derby. It was blurred and hard to make out even with the spotlight on Miss. Davison.
The video contradicts all of the sources because it did not show Emily ‘throwing herself under the hooves,’ or even ‘falling beneath’ them. But instead, (I do not know if the tape was altered in any way, Emily climbed under the barrier seconds before the King’s horse came round the corner, and she stood there waiting for it to come and knock her over!
This footage makes me think her actions were planned, but makes you wonder if Emily intended to kill herself or not.
After looking at all the sources I think the video is more believable as to me, seeing is believing. My version of the day at the derby is as follows:
- Emily Davison attended the derby, none of the authors who wrote the sources, (except maybe the newspaper reporter but I think not, did attend the derby.)
- As shown on the video, Miss. Davison stood and waited for the horse to knock her over, it was planned and her action was deliberate for the suffragettes’ cause.
- She died four days later, hindsight evidence shows this.
Emily Davison’s suicide is remembered and seen as a militant act for the Suffragettes’ cause.
Because Emily died four days later, and did not regain consciousness after the incident we will never know what actually went through her head, what she was thinking or if she planned to do this or not. I often wonder if she did not die, would her actions have bought the vote any nearer? And I also think if it had been a different horse at a different race not many people would associate her death with a suffragette cause. Is this how she wanted to be remembered?
