Source 15:  Newspaper report - 'Daring outrage at Perth', Glasgow Herald, 1914

 

Description

Perth became an active focus of protest as a result of the imprisonment of many suffragettes in the town's prison. The royal visit on 10 July 1914 became a good opportunity to launch further militant action. As the royal party progressed through the town centre, Rhoda Fleming, a 27-year-old woman, dashed from the crowd and tried to approach the royal car. She was restrained by the police and taken to the police station.

'The Glasgow Herald', 11 July 1914.

Copyright: The Glasgow Herald

[NLS Shelfmark: Acc. 4498/6]

Transcript

Daring Outrage at Perth

Woman on the King's motor

Soldiers to the rescue

The royal progress through Perth yesterday was marked by several suffragist incidents. One of them was of an alarming nature, and quite unprecedented, a woman getting into close proximity to their Majesties. She sprang on to the footboard of the royal motor and attempted to break the glass of the windows, inside which sat the King and Queen. She was dragged off by the police, however, before she succeeded, and amid a wild outburst of indignation by the spectators, who, but for the protection of the police and a squadron of the Scottish Horse, would have roughly handled her. She was marched off to the Police Office. This extraordinary and daring attempt to intimidate royalty - perhaps the most daring that has occurred in the history of the women's suffrage agitation - was made by a young woman, who gave her name at the bar of the Police Office as Rhoda Fleming (27 years of age), and her address as 502 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow.