Life, strife—those two are one,
Naught can ye win but by faith and daring.
On, on—that ye have done
But for the work of today preparing.
Firm in reliance, laugh a defiance,
(Laugh in hope, for sure is the end)
March, march—many as one,
Shoulder to shoulder and friend to friend.
– March of the Women – Ethel Smyth, words by Cicely Hamilton – 1910
I am currently undertaking a MA in History, with a focus on the Women’s Social and Political Union and suffragette militancy. At present, I am working on the way that ‘madness’ as a discursive concept permeated contemporary debates around the WSPU.
My interest in the suffragette movement has been inspired by researching my great-great-great aunt Hilda Burkitt and, more recently, her two sisters. All were involved with the WSPU.
This blog is intended to shine a light on the many names, stories and actions of those within the WSPU. It will be by no means exhaustive or laudatory, but it will go some lengths towards re-telling the fascinating stories of the many rank and file members who gave their all for the movement.
Laugh a Defiance 