The Making of a Militant: How Ireland Made Emmeline Pankhurst a Militant

Coyne, Louise (2023) The Making of a Militant: How Ireland Made Emmeline Pankhurst a Militant. PhD thesis, University of Liverpool.

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Abstract

Emmeline Pankhurst is well-known as a militant figure through her actions as leader of the Women’s Social and Political Union. The militant acts of the Union ranged from interrupting meetings to arson attacks. However, Emmeline’s connection to Ireland has received limited historiographical analysis. In My Own Story, Emmeline features three important Irish events that shaped her actions as part of her fight for women’s suffrage: the execution of the Manchester Martyrs, Charles Stewart Parnell’s campaign for Home Rule and the Home Rule crisis of 1912-1914. This thesis argues that each of these events played a significant role in Emmeline’s development as a militant. Emmeline emphasised that militancy was not necessarily violent. Instead, she saw militancy as an awakening of women to campaign for themselves and put their cause first as well as using tactics to force the Government to act. Emmeline was awakened to injustice because of the Manchester Martyrs which shaped her suffrage work as she associated the battle for the vote as a battle against injustice. Fenianism also equipped Emmeline with a successful example of militancy through the concessions gained and the attention it brought to the Irish Question. Emmeline had a personal connection to Parnell’s campaign as she blamed his election policy for her husband’s election loss. She adopted Parnell’s lesson, emphasising the militancy of women fighting for their own cause by putting suffrage above political party divisions. Interruptions were designed to be as obstructive as possible taking inspiration from Parnell’s success of obstructing despite the limited power of his party. Interrupting political meetings was radical for the suffragettes as it questioned gender norms. The response of violence by those present further intensified Emmeline’s militancy as women began to arm themselves in defence. However, it was the Home Rule crisis that led to the most significant escalation of action. Throughout the campaign for women’s suffrage, the WSPU had been competing for attention with the Irish Parliamentary Party. In cases like the Conciliation Bill of 1912 and Snowden’s amendment to the Home Rule Bill 1912, the Irish Parliamentary Party put their cause first and sacrificed women’s suffrage. This led to an outpouring of militancy as the WSPU argued it was a double standard and that Irishmen should be fighting for the rights of Irishwomen too. The differing treatment of the WSPU and the Ulster Unionists offered Emmeline another example of double standards. This was especially the case in terms of imprisonment as she and other suffragettes were arrested for their actions whilst Edward Carson and other Ulster militants were free. Like Fenianism, Ulster Unionism provided another example of successful men’s militancy which the WSPU tried to put into practice but due to their gender were treated differently. Ireland made Emmeline a militant through inspiring her at each stage of militancy. However, she also used it in My Own Story: to justify and minimise her militancy and to raise her political prestige. Emmeline was a political figure in her own right and recognised Ireland as an inspiration and an opportunity for her militancy.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Divisions:	Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Histories, Languages and Cultures
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	08 Feb 2024 15:51
Last Modified:	08 Feb 2024 15:51
DOI:	10.17638/03176920
Supervisors:	Downham, Clare Lybeck, Eleanor
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3176920