Mary Phillips (suffragette)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Mary Elizabeth Phillips (15 July 1880 – 21 June 1969) was an English suffragette, feminist and socialist. She was the longest prison serving suffragette. She worked for
Christabel Pankhurst Dame Christabel Harriette Pankhurst (; 22 September 1880 – 13 February 1958) was a British suffragette born in Manchester, England. A co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), she directed Suffragette bombing and arson ca ...
but was sacked; she then worked for
Sylvia Pankhurst Estelle Sylvia Pankhurst (; 5 May 1882 – 27 September 1960) was an English Feminism, feminist and Socialism, socialist activist and writer. Following encounters with women-led labour activism in the United States, she worked to organise worki ...
as Mary Pederson or Mary Paterson. In later life she supported women's and children's organisations.


Early life

Mary Elizabeth Phillips was born in St. Mary Bourne, Hampshire, the daughter of William Fleming Phillips and Louisa Elizabeth (Simms) Phillips. Her father was a doctor who worked in
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
.


Suffrage activism

Phillips was encouraged by her father to campaign for women's rights and in 1904 she became a paid official of the
Glasgow and West of Scotland Association for Women's Suffrage The Glasgow and West of Scotland Association for Women’s Suffrage was an organisation involved in campaigning for women’s suffrage, based in Glasgow, with members from all over the west of Scotland. Formation The association met for t ...
. She later reported that this taught her that quiet campaigning was not going to be sufficient and she joined the more radical Women's Social & Political Union in 1907 and established a Glasgow branch of the WSPU. She wrote articles for ''Forward'' which was the journal of the Glasgow
Independent Labour Party The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was a British political party of the left, established in 1893 at a conference in Bradford, after local and national dissatisfaction with the Liberal Party (UK), Liberals' apparent reluctance to endorse work ...
. Phillips assisted Helen Fraser with campaigns for the movement in East Fife. Her next WSPU campaign was in the
West of England The West of England is an area of South West England around the River Avon. The area has a local government combined authority that consists of the unitary authorities of Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and Bath and North East Somerset. The comb ...
organising visit plans with
Annie Kenney Ann "Annie" Kenney (13 September 1879 – 9 July 1953) was an English working-class suffragette and socialist feminist who became a leading figure in the Women's Social and Political Union. She co-founded its first branch in London with Minnie ...
,
Elsie Howey Rose Elsie Neville Howey (1 December 1884 – 13 March 1963), known as Elsie Howey, was an English suffragette. She was a militant activist with the Women's Social and Political Union and was jailed at least six times between 1908 and 1912. Ear ...
, Gladice Keevil,
Clara Codd Clara Margaret Codd (10 October 1876 – 3 April 1971) was a British writer, suffragette, socialist feminist, and theosophist. She went to jail for the suffragettes and then devoted her life to the Theosophical Society. Early life Codd was bor ...
and later was on the platform, speaking in
Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...
in November 1908 with Annie Kenney and
Mary Blathwayt Mary Blathwayt (1 February 1879 – 25 June 1961) was a British feminist, suffragette and social reformer. She lived at Eagle House in Somerset. This house became known as the "Suffragette's Rest" and contained a memorial to the protests o ...
. In March 1908 she had been sentenced to six weeks in
Holloway Prison HM Prison Holloway was a British prison security categories, closed category prison for adult women and young offenders in Holloway, London, England, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. It was the largest women's prison in western Europe, ...
following a demonstration outside the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
. As part of another delegation in June 1908, with
Emmeline Pankhurst Emmeline Pankhurst (; Goulden; 15 July 1858 – 14 June 1928) was a British political activist who organised the British suffragette movement and helped women to win in 1918 the women's suffrage, right to vote in United Kingdom of Great Brita ...
, twelve women including
Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, Baroness Pethick-Lawrence (; 21 October 1867 – 11 March 1954) was a British women's rights activist, suffragist and pacifist. Early life Pethick-Lawrence was born in 1867 in Clifton, Bristol as Emmeline Pethick. He ...
,
Jessie Stephenson Sara Jessie Stephenson (1873–1966) was a British suffragette and a member of the WSPU who organised census boycott in Manchester. Early life Sara Jessie Stephenson was born in Louth, Lincolnshire in 1873 the daughter of a farmer in Linco ...
, Florence Haig, Maud Joachim and Phillips were turned away from an arranged visit to the Prime Minister on 30 June 1908 and a crowd of supporters tried to rush through a police line who responded with physical force, resulting in a further arrest and 3-month sentence, making Phillips the longest serving suffragette prisoner. A postcard picture of a suffragette being arrested by police is said to be of Phillips. When Phillips was released from prison she was welcomed by
Flora Drummond Flora McKinnon Drummond (née Gibson; 4 August 1878 – 17 January 1949) was a British suffragette. Nicknamed 'The General' for her habit of leading women's rights marches wearing a military style uniform 'with an officers cap and epaulettes'Sy ...
, bagpipes and other suffragettes who posed in tartan for a picture under the slogan "Ye Mauna Tramp on the Scotch Thistle Laddie". The Scottish suffragettes present compared their struggle to the campaign of
William Wallace Sir William Wallace (, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army at the Battle of St ...
. Phillips showed other suffragettes different forms of protest, including getting Charlie Marsh to help her pavement chalking in
Lambeth Lambeth () is a district in South London, England, which today also gives its name to the (much larger) London Borough of Lambeth. Lambeth itself was an ancient parish in the county of Surrey. It is situated 1 mile (1.6 km) south of Charin ...
, whom Philips noted 'gamely stood the jeering and rough handling' the women got in the process. Her next location from January 1909, was in
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area ...
and then back south to
Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...
and
Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...
. She was among the welcoming party for another released prisoner
Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, Baroness Pethick-Lawrence (; 21 October 1867 – 11 March 1954) was a British women's rights activist, suffragist and pacifist. Early life Pethick-Lawrence was born in 1867 in Clifton, Bristol as Emmeline Pethick. He ...
, in April 1909, with the Pankhursts, two Kenney sisters, Vera Wentworth, Minnie Baldock and
Mary Gawthorpe Mary Eleanor Gawthorpe (12 January 1881 – 12 March 1973) was an English suffragette, socialist, trade unionist and editor. She was described by Rebecca West as "a merry militant saint". Life Gawthorpe was born in Woodhouse, Leeds to John G ...
. They were taken to join 500 suffragettes at a celebration lunch at the Criterion, Picadilly Circus restaurant. Phillips was arrested later in 1909 again with Vera Wentworth and Elsie Howie for attempting to force their attendance at a men's meeting in Exeter where Lord Carrington in charge of the Agriculture and Fisheries Board was speaking. During her seven days imprisoned she went on hunger strike and was released after four days 'in a dangerous state'. Other WSPU leaders
Mary Blathwayt Mary Blathwayt (1 February 1879 – 25 June 1961) was a British feminist, suffragette and social reformer. She lived at Eagle House in Somerset. This house became known as the "Suffragette's Rest" and contained a memorial to the protests o ...
, Emily Blathwayt, wrote in their diaries about Phillips suffering from fainting, and
Emmeline Pankhurst Emmeline Pankhurst (; Goulden; 15 July 1858 – 14 June 1928) was a British political activist who organised the British suffragette movement and helped women to win in 1918 the women's suffrage, right to vote in United Kingdom of Great Brita ...
wrote to her "my dear girl take care of yourself and do everything in your power to recover your health and strength." Phillips also carried out what Christabel Pankhurst called a 'splendid protest' showing ' pluck and ingenuity' by hiding under the stage overnight, jumping out shouting 'Votes for Women' and objecting to Patricia Woodlock's imprisonment when two Cabinet Ministers were being awarded honorary degrees in Liverpool St George's Hall. left, Millicent Browne planting a tree at Eagle House (suffragette's rest) with Mary Phillips, Vera Wentworth,
Elsie Howey Rose Elsie Neville Howey (1 December 1884 – 13 March 1963), known as Elsie Howey, was an English suffragette. She was a militant activist with the Women's Social and Political Union and was jailed at least six times between 1908 and 1912. Ear ...
and
Annie Kenney Ann "Annie" Kenney (13 September 1879 – 9 July 1953) was an English working-class suffragette and socialist feminist who became a leading figure in the Women's Social and Political Union. She co-founded its first branch in London with Minnie ...
Phillips was invited to
Mary Blathwayt Mary Blathwayt (1 February 1879 – 25 June 1961) was a British feminist, suffragette and social reformer. She lived at Eagle House in Somerset. This house became known as the "Suffragette's Rest" and contained a memorial to the protests o ...
's home at
Batheaston Batheaston is a village and civil parish east of the English city of Bath, on the north bank of the River Avon. The parish had a population of 2,735 in 2011. The northern area of the parish, on the road to St Catherine, is an area known as ...
where the leading suffragettes met and recovered. It was known as the " Suffragette's Rest". Significant visitors were asked to plant a tree (in Phiilips case a Picea Pungens Glauca) to record their achievements on behalf of the cause e.g. a prison sentence. Phillips had been given a Hunger Strike Medal 'for Valour' by WSPU. In November 1909, Phillips wrote to
Christabel Pankhurst Dame Christabel Harriette Pankhurst (; 22 September 1880 – 13 February 1958) was a British suffragette born in Manchester, England. A co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), she directed Suffragette bombing and arson ca ...
asking to be relieved of a militant role, which was fully supported and she had no further trouble for the next three years. Around that time she was given the job of being the WSPU organiser in
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
but this was short lived and Ada Flatman took over that role. In 1910 Phillips was sent as WSPU organiser for
Bradford Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...
, and when the 1911 census was enumerated she evaded the count and wrote: "NO VOTE NO CENSUS. Posterity will know how to judge the Government if it persists in bringing about the falsification of national statistics instead of acting on its own principles and making itself truly representational of the people" on the form for the WSPU’s office. Mrs Pankhurst later wrote to her seeking her help to ensure that the women's group in Bradford did not express sympathy for the loss of Pankhurst's 20-year-old son Harry, who had died of polio, by saying "I want to get through my work, and I know you will all help me do it." Phillips work at the WSPU mostly under
Christabel Pankhurst Dame Christabel Harriette Pankhurst (; 22 September 1880 – 13 February 1958) was a British suffragette born in Manchester, England. A co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), she directed Suffragette bombing and arson ca ...
who had praised her and increased her salary. In late 1912 her own mother, also in the WSPU, had not called Mary to her deathbed in Cornwall due to her belief that the "movement needed her services." But on 9 July 1913 she was sacked by Christabel Pankhurst who wrote saying "that you are not effective as a district organiser"; this may have been due to Phillips no longer strongly favouring militancy. Despite her long support working all over the country, four imprisonments and hunger strike, Phillips had to advertise her own services in 'situations wanted' in ''The Suffragette.'' She moved to London's East End, living in
Canning Town Canning Town is a town in the London Borough of Newham, East London, England, north of the Royal Victoria Dock. Its urbanisation was largely due to the creation of the dock. The area was part of the ancient parish and County Borough of West Ham, ...
and immediately went to work with Nora Smyth for
Sylvia Pankhurst Estelle Sylvia Pankhurst (; 5 May 1882 – 27 September 1960) was an English Feminism, feminist and Socialism, socialist activist and writer. Following encounters with women-led labour activism in the United States, she worked to organise worki ...
's rival East London Federation of Suffragettes, with Pankhurst,
Keir Hardie James Keir Hardie (15 August 185626 September 1915) was a Scottish trade unionist and politician. He was a founder of the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party, and was its first Leader of the Labour Party (UK), parliamentary leader from 1906 to 1908. ...
, Julia Scurr, Millie Lansbury, Eveline Haverfield, Nellie Cressall and
George Lansbury George Lansbury (22 February 1859 – 7 May 1940) was a British politician and social reformer who led the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party from 1932 to 1935. Apart from a brief period of ministerial office during the Labour government of 1 ...
. Phillips continued to promote socialism and wrote for ''The Women's Dreadnought'' weekly for working women. She became the full time paid organiser for the federation working with May Billinghurst. In 1916 she was working for the New Constitutional Society for Women's Suffrage who did not support (or decry) militancy. She now went under the name of Mary Pederson or Paterson. Mary inspired working women such as
Charlotte Drake Charlotte DiLaurentis is a fictional character created by I. Marlene King for the American television series ''Pretty Little Liars'' and its spin-off web series '' Pretty Dirty Secrets'', portrayed by Vanessa Ray. Introduced in the third seas ...
, a seamstress and barmaid, a chemical worker's wife and mother of four children under 8 years old, to also become an activist for women's suffrage. Drake was interviewed on the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
in 1968 and explained the unusual support her husband gave when she was heckled by men about a women's place in society.


Later life

Phillips went on to work for the United Suffragists from 1915 to 1916, and the
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is a non-profit non-governmental organization working "to bring together women of different political views and philosophical and religious backgrounds determined to study and make kno ...
and
Save the Children Fund The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, is an international non-governmental organization. It was founded in the UK in 1919; its goal is to improve the lives of children worldwide. The organization raises money to imp ...
. Phillips edited a brewing trade news service from 1928 to 1955, and then was an editor for the Council of Social Work. She joined the Suffragette Fellowship and
Six Point Group The Six Point Group was a British feminist campaign group founded by Lady Rhondda in 1921 to press for changes in the law of the United Kingdom in six areas. Aims The six original specific aims were: # Satisfactory legislation on child assault; ...
, and in an interview in 1955 bemoaned the 'sneaky way' women got the vote as a 'sort of anti-climax really' but 'was very good to be part of it'.


Death

Mary Phillips died in a hotel in
Hove Hove ( ) is a seaside resort in East Sussex, England. Alongside Brighton, it is one of the two main parts of the city of Brighton and Hove. Originally a fishing village surrounded by open farmland, it grew rapidly in the 19th century in respon ...
in Sussex in 1969.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Mary Elizabeth 1880 births 1969 deaths Eagle House suffragettes Scottish suffragettes English socialist feminists Women's Social and Political Union Hunger Strike Medal recipients People from St Mary Bourne