| Main Performers | Mrs Drummond,
Mr George Lansbury,
Miss Georgina Brackenbury - speakers |
| Orchestra or Band | Aeolian Ladies' Orchestra |
| Set List | 19:30 Aeolian Ladies' Orchestra:
'Bourree and Gigue', German,
'Marching Song', G Holst,
Selection from 'Die Meistersinger', Wagner
20:00 'The March of the Women', E Smyth,
Meeting (Mr George Lansbury, Miss Annie Kenney, Miss Georgina Brackenbury),
The Collection,
Speech (Mrs Drummond),
'The Women's Marseillaise', lyr. F E M Macaulay,
'God Save the King' (The National Anthem) |
| Performance Notes | On the front cover of The Suffragette newspaper of 4 April 1913 Mrs Pankhurst urged followers to make this WSPU meeting at the Hall a huge success with donations pouring in. She wrote, 'The Albert Hall meetings have been the Landmarks that have shown the public the strength of our movement.'
Speakers at the meeting were Mrs Drummond and George Lansbury MP. Emmeline Pankhurst had been due to preside but was serving time at Holloway Goal at this point. The Times review of the meeting stated that the attendees were informed that Mrs Pankhurst was not at the time being force-fed. The discussions held at the meeting including the government's 'Cat and Mouse Act', and the raising of funds for a campaign against the act. Annie Kenney didn't Chair the meeting, as was advertised on the leaflet for it, as she had been arrested in advance of it.
"The chair was taken by Mrs Drummond, who in addressing a large and excited audience, said she was ashamed as a British woman not to be able to tell them that their leader was released. She was still in Holloway Gaol (shame), but she was not being forcibly fed. The action of the Government was only inciting to militancy. She moved a resolution demanding 'inte ralia', the release of once of Mrs Pankhurst, and her fellow prisoners and the abandonment of forcible feeding and 'all other forms of coercion. A collection was made, and telegrams were sent to Mr Asquith and Mr Lloyd George asking them to inform the House of Commons that the suffragists answer to the 'Cat and Mouse Bill' was the raising of £15,000 towards the campaign. The donations announced included individual gifts of £1,200, £1,000, £500, £300, £200 and many of £100. The Paris WSPU sent £42 10s. There were also numerous gifts of jewelry, including a wedding ring. It was announced that the Self-Help Denial Fund this year had doubled as compared with last year, and that the Union had already received £3,584."
(The Times, 11 April 1913)
'Summonses for inciting persons to commit a breach of the peace have been granted at Bow Street Police court against Flora Drummond, one of the leaders of the Women's Social and Political Union and Mr George Lansbury, ex MP for Bow and Bromley. The summonses, which are returnable tomorrow, have reference to speeches made at the suffragist meeting held at the Albert Hall on April 10.' (The Times, 17 April 1913)
The Hall's Council [540 meeting - 11 March 1913] stated, 'It was resolved - That no Lettings of the Hall for such purpose as to be effected without being first submitted to and approved by the Council.'
Interestingly the Hall's Council ledgers record a letter on the subject of letting the Hall to militants. On 21 March 1913 The Earl of Kilmorey wrote;
'MY LORD - May I beg to suggest whether the time has not now arrived when the directors of the Royal Albert Hall should reconsider their attitude in letting their hall to an organisation which is carrying on a criminal campaign involving the destruction of the Public and private property of the people. It is hardly possible that the founders of the Royal Albert Hall would have approved of countenance being given to these abominable proceedings. I beg to remain, my Lord, yours obediently, PS Bridgeford, The Rt. Hon. the Earl of Kilmorey"
On 10 June 1913 the Hall's Council [543 meeting] noted that an application for use of the Hall had been received from the WSPU; 'An application by the Women's Social and Political Union for the use of the hall for a meeting in November. The Manager was instructed to inform them that the Council is not prepared, at the present time, to let the hall to them.' This essentially made them the first political party to be banned from the Hall, due to the fear of physical damage to the building.
This was the last WSPU meeting to be held at the Hall.
Emmeline Pankhurst was on hunger strike in Holloway Jail during this meeting and was released the next day - 11th April. £15,000 was raised at this meeting for the cause. (Biography of Emmeline Pankhurst, June Purvis)
George Lansbury spoke out about the Cat and Mouse Act.
"The events of the past week are astounding. Mrs Pankhurst has been sentenced to three years penal servitude, and the reply of her party has been to burn down two country houses, the grand stand of a race course, to blow up part of a railway station, a portion of a goods train, to fire several other mansions and public buildings, to cut telegraphic and telephonic communication in three places, to injure several priceless works of art, to render indecipherable a mass of correspondence, and to commit other acts of defiance."
(Votes for Women)
George Lansbury was imprisoned for three months because of the speech he gave at this event in which he incited militancy as a just means to enfranchise women. An extract:-
"Why are we here and why are these brave women carrying on this crusade? Because they believe in something much bigger than the vote; they believe in human freedom. That is what they are out for. (Cheers). The other day I had sent to me by a young girl from the East End one of the most pathetic letters I have ever seen. She told a story of how she worked at a confectionery factory, making sweets and jam, to the tune of something like 6s a week. She, had no one to help her live, and was driven to make the balance by other means. Those men here, if there are any, who are crying out against what the women are doing, what are you doing? You go out of this hall and you see the girls on the streets. You read of sweated wages, but you do not really know why one of the Suffragist prisoners said, when brought up before a magistrate, "If you lived where I live and saw the misery I see, instead of breaking one window you would break a hundred!"
(Votes for Women, 12 April 1913)
In April 1913, the WSPU had been forbidden from all out door public meetings including in Hyde Park and Wimbledon Common.
"A novel and attractive feature of the evening will be a musical programme from 7.30-8pm, provided by the Aeolian Ladies' Orchestra, under the conductorship of Miss Rosabel Watson, and seat holders will do well to be early in their places, in order to miss none of the items to be provided by this talented and deservedly popular group of women musicians. They will number twenty-six; most of them are members of the Actresses' Franchise League, and have all offered their services, as a mark of sympathy, for half fees.
Another unusual and striking feature of the demonstration will be a cinematograph display. Incidents of militant suffrage history will be depicted, and there will be a special film of Miss Christabel Pankhurst take in Paris, and also a special message from her to the meeting will be thrown on the screen."
(The Suffragette newspaper, 4 April 1913)
Stewards for the event were provided by the Suffragettes and headed by Miss Grace Roe (Chief Steward) and Miss Dorothy Bowker (Secretary Steward).
It was reported that £15,000 was donated to the Suffragette cause at this event.
The meeting was to include a Cinematograph Display but this was abndoned shortly in advance owing to difficulties. |
| Related Archival Material | Digital Photograph,
Handbill (RAHE/6/1913/4) |