Suffrage - Source 52: Letter from reader, Glasgow Herald, 12 March 1914 (reaction to Mrs Pankhurst's arrest)

Description

This letter first appeared in the Glasgow Herald on 12 March 1914.

Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst, leader of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was due to address a public meeting at St Andrew's Hall in Glasgow on 9 March 1914 as part of a Scottish tour. Mrs Pankhurst had recently been released from prison as part of the 'Cat and Mouse' Act, and the police intended to re-arrest her so that she could serve the rest of her sentence.

Many of the women who attended the meeting complained about the actions of the police. Of the nine letters which were published in the Glasgow Herald several days after the event took place, seven comment negatively on the harsh tactics used by the authorities to control Mrs Pankhurst's supporters. Only two of the letters support the actions of the police.