WSPUs

The Women's Social and Political Union, commonly known as the WSPU, was a British political organization founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Christabel and Sylvia. The WSPU was dedicated to campaigning for women's suffrage, the right of women to vote in public elections. Initially, the organization pursued peaceful methods of protest and lobbying. However, by 1905, frustrated by the lack of progress, the WSPU adopted a more militant strategy, which they termed "deeds not words." This approach involved acts of civil disobedience, including window smashing, arson, and disrupting political meetings. Members of the WSPU, often referred to as suffragettes, faced imprisonment and force-feeding when they went on hunger strike. The organization's activities were highly controversial and divided public opinion. Key figures within the WSPU included Emily Davison, whose death at the Epsom Derby in 1913 became a potent symbol for the movement. The outbreak of World War I in 1914 led to the WSPU suspending its militant campaigning, with many members focusing on the war effort. While the WSPU officially disbanded in 1919, its persistent and often radical activism is widely credited with significantly contributing to the eventual granting of suffrage to women in the UK.