Source 55, Pg.4:  Written questionnaire (actions of the police towards suffragettes)

 

Description

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 behaviour of the police; witnesses said that they used unnecessary force to control the crowd.

A leading Scottish suffragette, Janie Allen, who attended the meeting campaigned tirelessly for an enquiry into police tactics. She contacted local magistrates, as well as local and national politicians. She wrote to other women who had attended the meeting and asked them to complete a written questionnaire relating to the incident. This source is an example of one of the completed responses.

Grace MacKinnon, who completed this questionnaire, taught Modern Languages in Glasgow schools from 1902 - 1928.

Completed questionnaire, Janie Allan Archive (Acc 4498)

Transcript

Did you see policemen or plain clothes men interfere to prevent Mrs Drummond reaching the platform in order to make her speech? If so, describe incident.

I did not know exactly what was taking place but saw a group standing in front of the area and Mrs Drummond evidently remonstrating in their midst. My impression is that some gentleman or gentlemen from the audience interfered and Mrs Drummond was then brought on to the platform from the area and began to address the meeting. I thought at first they were trying to take Mrs Drummond out of the hall.

Did you see Mrs Pankhurst being put into the taxi? If so describe incident.

No.

Did you see Mrs Pankhurst after her arrest at any point between the platform and the taxi? If so, describe what you saw.

No.

Did you see attack made by police after Mrs Pankhurst's arrest, on Mrs Nixon between the platform and the door into Kent Rd? If so, describe it.

No.

Did you see a man supposed to be an agent of the police stand up on the platform and tell the audience to go, and did you think he looked like a plain clothes man?

Yes. I thought he looked like a plain clothes man.

Did you see a man at the back of the hall presumably a police agent tell the audience to go, and did he look like a plain clothes man?

I did not see what took place at the back of the hall.