October 12, 1912, To the Editor of The Daily Graphic, “The Suffragists’ Christmas”
In October of 1912 the suffragette Mary Gawthorpe wrote a letter to The Sunday
Observer proposing “A Women’s Great Hunger Strike” if the Liberal Government once
more evaded its promises to women in the parliamentary session about to begin. She
proposed the strike to begin at midnight on December 25th, and she called on women
throughout the nation, from the relatives of members of Parliament, to suffragists,
teachers, and “silent, sympathetic women in the nation’s homes who are not ordinarily
militant, but who would bravely bear witness to their heart’s belief that British
womanhood has the right to full political unity.” Davison obviously thought this
was an excellent proposal to rouse the nation, but mischievously went the next step to
engage men in some degree of the suffering women had endured and were prepared to
further endure. She sent the following letter to several newspapers.
Sir, –Another suggestion which might be added to Miss Mary Gawthorpe’s
proposal of a general hunger strike is that it should be perforce extended to
the men. We all know the old adage that the way to a man’s heart (and brain)
is through his stomach! Whatever women in general might determine to do
they would doubly emphasise it if they went out on strike before the Christmas
Day dinner and refused to do a single domestic duty! The moment would be
peculiarly effective, seeing that the males would be, manlike, looking forward
to the popular feast, and would moreover be unable on that day, peculiar to the
home, to find cheer elsewhere. So women would effectively demonstrate their
determination to have an effective say in their so-called sphere, as well as the
vote. Yours faithfully,
EMILY WILDING DAVISON
Longhorsley, Northumberland, October 8th