I think a mix. Even within the Pankhurst clan there was a mix. The often forgotten Mr. Pankhurst (the "red doctor") Richard was mainly a radical operating through political means including the labour party he help found. His daughter Sylvia was far more radical and went revolutionary lsocialist and communist . Though like many was eventually disappointed by the USSR. Emmeline, Richard's widow, seeks to have become more violent after his death and she and Christabel were supporters of the violence and then the war (being leaders in the white feather movement) of course this was a period when there were all sorts of radical movements, Irish, anarchist, Marxist, socialist all small but interlinked and committed to violence. There is in my country (UK) a pervasive myth that our domestic politics were largely peaceful in the late Victorian and edwardian era. Which is of course rubbish. Attempts were made to assassinate Victoria and other royals and prominent politicians and notable people. From anarchist plots to bringing in some of the home fleet to threaten Liverpool dockers striking the UK was in as much a ferment as any other of the nervous European states. So plenty to copy from or link to. Probably the big difference was in the comparatively indulgent treatment of suffragettes. After all they just let Male hunger strikers die. Emmeline had become the candidate for a parliamentary seat tge year prior to her death, for the Conservative Party! Go figure that!
That's good to know: "After all they just let male hunger strikers die." I had just been assuming that they force fed all hunger strikers and only women were singled out for the shock and horror of their lives being preserved.
There was a movie about hunger strikes of a similar nature in 1981. It starred Hellen Mirren and was called 'Every Mother's Son'. It's been many years since I've seen it but I recall that it was quite good.
I think a mix. Even within the Pankhurst clan there was a mix. The often forgotten Mr. Pankhurst (the "red doctor") Richard was mainly a radical operating through political means including the labour party he help found. His daughter Sylvia was far more radical and went revolutionary lsocialist and communist . Though like many was eventually disappointed by the USSR. Emmeline, Richard's widow, seeks to have become more violent after his death and she and Christabel were supporters of the violence and then the war (being leaders in the white feather movement) of course this was a period when there were all sorts of radical movements, Irish, anarchist, Marxist, socialist all small but interlinked and committed to violence. There is in my country (UK) a pervasive myth that our domestic politics were largely peaceful in the late Victorian and edwardian era. Which is of course rubbish. Attempts were made to assassinate Victoria and other royals and prominent politicians and notable people. From anarchist plots to bringing in some of the home fleet to threaten Liverpool dockers striking the UK was in as much a ferment as any other of the nervous European states. So plenty to copy from or link to. Probably the big difference was in the comparatively indulgent treatment of suffragettes. After all they just let Male hunger strikers die. Emmeline had become the candidate for a parliamentary seat tge year prior to her death, for the Conservative Party! Go figure that!
Thanks Nigel. Fascinating.
That's good to know: "After all they just let male hunger strikers die." I had just been assuming that they force fed all hunger strikers and only women were singled out for the shock and horror of their lives being preserved.
You might be interested in the case of Terence McSwiney.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terence_MacSwiney?wprov=sfti1
I am. Thanks.
There was a movie about hunger strikes of a similar nature in 1981. It starred Hellen Mirren and was called 'Every Mother's Son'. It's been many years since I've seen it but I recall that it was quite good.