Suffragette Surveillance



One hundred years ago, women in Britain who wanted to vote were considered terrorists. Many were jailed, and although Scotland Yard wanted to record them in photographs, the women refused to cooperate. So in 1912, officials purchased a camera and hired a paparazzi-style photographer to shoot the inmates from a distance. BBC news explained how and why these photographs were taken. You can see an online collection of the photos, which give us a glimpse into the world of suffragettes and how they were treated by police. http://www.howtobearetronaut.com/2011/07/suffragette-surveillance-1913/ -via Metafilter

(Image credit: © National Portrait Gallery, London)

Newest 1
Newest 1 Comment

I didn't know that all "women who wanted to vote" were considered a threat to society. I thought it was just the ones that participated in destruction and violence. From a contemporary article, here is a list of what were considered "outrages" at the time, spanning merely the spring of one year:

Attacks on Works of Art

March 11 – National Gallery, ‘Rokeby’ Velasquez damaged.

March 16 – Birmingham Cathedral, Burne-Jones window defaced

April 10 – British Museum: Porcelain exhibits smashed

May 5 – Royal Academy: Mr. Sargent’s portray of Mr. Henry James damaged

May 13 – Royal Academy: Sir Hubert von Herkomer’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington damaged

May 18 – Royal Academy: Mr. Calusen’s ‘Primavera’ damaged

May 23 – National Gallery: Five Italian pictures damaged

May 25 – Royal Scottish Academy: Mr. Lavery’s portray of the King mutilated

May – 25 British Museum – Attack on an exhibit

Bomb Explosions

January 26 – Glasgow Kibble Palace (winter garden) partially destroyed by bomb

March 1 – Bomb explosion at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, SW

April 5 – Bomb explosion in St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields

May 11 – Bomb explosion at the Metropolitan Tabernacle

May 24 – Attempt to wreck Glasgow aqueduct

Incendiary Outrages

February 5 – Three country houses in Perthshire burned – namely, Aberuchill Castle (partial), House of Roses and St. Fillans House – both completely destroyed.

February 24 – Whitekirk, Haddington, ancient parish church destroyed.

March 13 – Robertland House, Ayrshire, destroyed by fire.

March 28 – General McCalmont’shouse, Abbeylands, near Belfast, completely destroyed

April 10 – Orlands House, near Carrickfergus, burned down

April 18 – Yarmouth Pier destroyed

April 29 – Felixstowe: Bath Hotel burned down (damage, £23,000)

May 18 – Birmingham Pacecourse grand stand burned

June 2- Wargrave Parish Church destroyed by fire
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Login to comment.
Email This Post to a Friend
"Suffragette Surveillance"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More