September 19, 1911, to The Editor of The Morning Post, “Women Strikers of Bermondsey”

In this response to the writer of the original story about the Bermondsey strikes (Sept.

16, 1911, Morning Post), Davison renews her support for the strikers and shares some

of the values and perspectives that underlay her own militant commitment to justice for

women. To the charge that the strikers were in a “holiday” mode, laughing and talking—-

a thinly veiled reference to women’s supposed inherent frivolity—-she recognizes the value

of humor and good spirits as aids in facing “a very serious matter,” the fact that the strike

might deprive women of money necessary to buy food, literally to live. The qualities she

praises in the strikers are those that mark the suffragette—-“facing danger regardless of the

consequences,” a “saving sense of humour,” good will, and a spirit of unity. She sees the strike

as another manifestation of a new dawn of recognition that both women and men are full,

free, individual citizens.

Sir, –May I be allowed to make a few comments on the courteous answer from your Special

Correspondent who devoted his fourth article on the Revolt of Labour to the Women

Strikers of Bermondsey. In answer to his request, I have once more carefully read through

the article, and I still adhere to my contention, although I am prepared to allow that your

correspondent shows much sympathetic understanding of the girls’ case. The feature of

the article to which I specially objected was his implication that the strike was adopted by

those women-labourers in an irresponsible spirit. The words which gave this idea I

quote: ’Women who had never shown the least sign of discontent, and some whose wages

and conditions were far above the average of the district, were drawn in the excitement

and the chance of a holiday. Indeed, in some aspects the whole affair was more like a

holiday outing than a strike,’ and the article then went on to describe the procession to

which your correspondent alludes in his answer to-day, in which he notes the Cockney wit

and chaff. But even here I venture to criticize the general tone of his remarks, because the

wit and banter displayed by the girl strikers was no sign of an irresponsible and holiday

gaiety, which showed lack of appreciation of the serious issues involved. To my mind it

was rather the staunch and brave attempt to put a good face on a very serious matter. The

truth of this idea was well borne out by the keen remarks made to us onlookers by these

same strikers when we conversed with them. The feature of the strike was the never-

failing good courage, when all that seemed to be before them was starvation, which they

fully recognized. They displayed the courage of the ‘Suffragette,’ which means facing

danger regardless of consequences, and they displayed also that ‘Suffragette’ saving sense

of humour which has pulled us through many a dark hour. In short, to me the strike of

Bermondsey seemed to be one of the best manifestations of the new spirit among women,

the new sense of dignity and the right to assert individuality, and it seemed to me to be a

truly hopeful sign of the success that must soon be ours. What I also resented was the

implication that this natural and spontaneous rising was simply done in imitation of the

men strikers. It was the assertion of women workers of their right as human beings of

their place in the army of the workers of the world. Your correspondent in one of his

sentences gave an inkling that there was more in the revolt of the women than a mere

strike when he wrote ‘a new force has animated the most depressed and least skilled of all

industrial workers to a sudden passion for their rights.’ That force is the feeling fast

dawning among women that they have a right to demand full citizenship. Hence the

statement of your correspondent that ‘many of the girls thoroughly enjoyed the strike’

gains in force and meaning. What the girls enjoyed and what the Suffragettes have enjoyed

in undergoing their most horrible experiences has been that joy in at last asserting their

individuality as free-born Britons.

One further lesson of the women’s strike that might be given is the fact that the

women knew how to strike when the iron was hot, and that is one of the essentials of

politics.—Yours, &c.,

Emily Wilding Davison

31,Coram-street, Sept. 18 (1911)