TW: Mention of death and Suicide
Emily Davidson was a prominent member of the Women’s Social and Political Union during the British Women’s Suffrage Movement (1848–1917). She was fully committed to the cause and spent her life working towards a better future for future Women and was a martyr for the Women's Suffrage Movement.
On the 8th of June 1913, she jumped in front of a horse.
Not any horse: King George V’s horse in the Epsom horse racing derby (a very prominent and televised race).
Evidence shows that this was an attempt by Ms Davidson to attach a sash to the horse so that all of the cameras would see the sash and thus promote the Women's Social and Political Union.
Ms Davidson was not able to attach the sash to the horse and died in the attempt.
Before the Event
Before joining the Women’s Social and Political Union, Ms Davidson was a school teacher.
Once she joined she saw how people in power and men weren’t listening to the Suffragettes (those involved within the suffrage movement) and she decided to take militant action to get heard.
The Women's Social and Political Union supported her, encouraging her to continue these acts.
The Women’s Social and Political Union reassured government by means of civil disobedience and violence. Ms Daivdson committed arson and was arrested nine times in her life. She also went on seven hunger strikes.
After a failed suicide attempt Ms Davidson states that “I feel that by nothing but the sacrifice of human life would the nation be brought to realise the horrible torture our women face”.
Ms Davidson’s extreme views inspired many other Suffragettes. Her death had more impact than she could have imagined.
Emily Davidson’s influence
Her funeral was attended by a procession of 5,000 suffragettes and supporters. 50,000 people watched from the streets as her coffin passed them.
Her fellow suffragettes view her a a hero and martyr, others saw her as an extremist and many assumed that she purposefully jumped in front of the horse to die as an intentional act of political protest.
Ms Davidson had a return ticket on her person so it can be assumed that her intention was not suicide. However Ms Davidson may have spontaneously decided suicide was her best option.
Five years later, things started to change and certain Women were allowed to vote. Even though five years is a long time between her death and Women getting more rights, her influence is irrefutable, many people would not have acted without her, and she should definitely be remembered as a prominent member of the Women’s Suffrage Movement.
All information and images gathered to inform this article are from my own research and this YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM3DMIMw29Yz
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