Archive
WSPU activity limited
I did a certain amount of speaking while I was on the Committee and I remained on it while the Lawrences were connected with it. After they left the Women’s Social and Political Union I left too and became more and more absorbed in my own particular work.
Those years when I was in touch with the Cause held many exciting incidents. One night I was awakened by a loud knock at the door of my flat. A policeman was there and he told me that Mr. and Mrs. Pethick-Lawrence were arrested and would I go to their flat and take them the necessary night wear. When I got to the flat I tried to find a syphon of soda-water to take to Mr. Lawrence. I could not find one. So I told the taxi I was in to call at the Savoy to get one. When we arrived there I was not allowed to get out of the cab. I suppose the taxi-driver had told the Commissionaire where I was bound. I had to wait while the syphon was fetched.
130
On arriving at Bow Street I handed the syphon to Mr. Lawerence in his cell and he gave me a cheque for £200 saying he did not know when he would be free and would I go to his country house, pay wages and generally keep things going both there and in town.
When Christabel first disappeared to Paris my flat was searched by a uniformed policeman as he declared that she had been seen coming up the stairs.
I once took the Chair for Mrs. Pankhurst at Newcastle. Before the meeting some of the men were throwing other men down the stairs leading to the entrance to the Hall. It looked as though the platform might be stormed. Only women were on the platform. When I had introduced Mrs. Pankhurst I stood up behind her chair the whole time she was speaking. I knew that if I took my eyes off the meeting for one moment they would stampeded. But oh! I was tired when we finally arrived at our hotel.
Comments
The archive is still being added to. Please feel free to comment if there's something you'd like to observe or add.