#Emilymatters – Reflections on Derby Day & the Right to Vote

R E F L E C T I O N S   O N   D E R B Y   D A Y ,   2 0 1 3
&   T H E   R I G H T   T O   V O T E

 

—  This blog was first posted in June 2014  —

 

In April 2013, Epsom Downs racecourse unveiled a plaque in memory of Emily Davison and welcomed members of her extended family from around the globe as well as supporters, including Dr Helen Pankhurst (Emeline Pankhurt’s Great-Granddaughter), her daughter Laura, women’s suffrage experts Professor June Purvis, V. Irene Cockroft and Davison family historian Maureen Howes.

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The following month I was part of a small delegation from Northumberland who were invited to mark the 100th anniversary of Emily Davison’s brave Derby protest. In contrast to some negative publicity at the time, the management team were keen to pay tribute to Emily Davison in a sensitive and respectful manner.

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It was around six years since I first began to develop and produce my Emily Davison play, To Freedom’s Cause, and having gone to the previous day’s Ladies Day, Derby Day had a very different atmosphere. Yes, the women in the stands areas were still all designer-clad, but the men were also now in formal attire with top hats, which made the place seem much closer to 1913.

I saw one boy with his father, both in morning dress and the little lad’s top hat was tipped at an Artful Dodger angle. Not sure that was the look he was perfecting and wish I’d taken a photo.

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Our little group was taken to a box right next to the Queen and I wondered what Emily would have made of that, given the royal family’s cold reaction to her protest and subsequent fatal injuries. However, the racecourse management team ensured that Emily was remembered with respect, with a feature in the race card and a big screen montage, which was repeated through out the day.

When the time for the Derby drew near, I nipped away, firstly to the paddock to see the horses paraded, as Emily may well have done, before weaving through the crowds to Tattenham Corner, to get a sense of what it might have been like 100 years ago.

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Although the location of the paddock/parade ring area had been moved since1913, it was still at the same end of the racecourse. Bearing that in mind and working on findings made in the Secrets of a Suffragette documentary and Maureen Howes’ book, A Suffragette’s Family Album, I made sure I had 15 to 20 minutes to get from the paddock to Tattenham Corner.

The paddock was pretty packed with racegoers and socialites, which made it almost impossible to see the horses as they were brought round. It is thought that Emily may have intended to put the suffragette colours on the King’s horse as it was paraded in the paddock, but changed her plans when she recognised someone close by.

I therefore then headed towards the racecourse. A stream of police moved towards me and I let them pass, whilst a man smoking a fat cigar on a balcony looked on.

I crossed the track and headed down the public pathway that led towards Tattenham Corner. The path was packed with boozy racegoers meandering their way towards the fairground or beyond. Derby Day is a grand day out with a noisy fairground pumping out popular songs, stalls, bookies and the necessary outdoor toilet facilities dotted along the way.

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Weaving through the crowds with a stream of “sorry”s this stop-start progress put the pressure on as I wasn’t sure how long it would take and whether I would get a place at the front near Tattenham Corner.

Finally I made it through and spotted an area in the vicinity of where it’s thought Emily may have stood. However, there was a bit of jostling as the family occupying that section decided they wanted the tiny gap I’d just found, this meant squeezing into an even smaller space as there was a bit of a stand off.

Having stupidly forgotten my race card, I asked my prickly neighbours if they had one. They didn’t but the group next to them had a newspaper, which they let me borrow. Almost as soon as I gave it back to them I’d forgotten my chosen the jockey colours (Herbert Jones’ silks were very distinctive).

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Regal music was trumpeted at the other end of the course, followed by tannoy announcements echoing incomprehensibly around the Downs. After a couple of minutes or so, they were off!

The noise of the fairground and masses in the middle of the racecourse mixed with the broken up commentary masked the progress of the horses. Then they finally came into view at the opposite side, tiny toy like horses almost in slow motion, making their approach.

They disappeared but then came into view again on the corner, still indistinguishable.

Round Tattenham Corner they came, full pelt. All in a block.I forgot my chosen colours and they pounded by in an instant – the horses were lightening fast.

However, it has been argued that the layout of the 1913 course may have given Emily a better view of the King’s horse and the Pathe footage does seem to suggest she deliberately made her way towards Anmer, the king’s horse, in the four seconds after she stepped onto the course.

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Of course, we willl never know Emily’s thoughts in the moments before she made her protest – some people allege she attempted to place a WSPU scarf on the horse. However, women’s suffrage expert V. Irene Cockroft offers an alternative view in her guest blog, drawing on her in depth knowledge and extensive research.

Although much has changed since Emily made her final brave protest for the vote and gender equality, she would no doubt be urging us to keep pushing for positive change.

I’m writing this on the 8th June 2014, the 101st anniversary of Emily Davison’s death. Earlier I had a conversation with Nadi, a final year student, who was working in the local supermarket. He told me that he doesn’t plan to vote at next year’s UK general election:

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“We haven’t got power anyway, so voting won’t make much difference …
I kind of see the political thing as a game. I don’t take it seriously.”
– Nadi, final year student & potential first time voter at the 2015 UK general elections

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Nadi is not alone in his views on voting. Turnout in the 2010 general elections was just 65.1% (Statistics: IPSOS-MORI quoted in the Electoral Reform Society report ‘The UK General Election 2010 In-depth’).

Young women, in particular, have become disinterested in using their democratic right to vote, 61% of young women aged 18 to 24 chose not to vote. #Emilymatters aims to challenge that head on. Things have to change if real progress towards gender equality and better representation is to be realised.

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If you believe in gender equality and using the right to vote, help us ensure that Nadi and other potential first time voters get involved and use their right to vote.

More details about the Votes project will be announced in due course, so please do:

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Emily matters is a social media campaign to support and advance gender equality, particularly focusing on the importance of voting.

It was created as part of the ‘To Freedom’s Cause’ the campaign for equality – still worth fighting for?’ event at the House of Commons in February 2014.

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TO FREEDOM’S CAUSE should be seen by every woman and teenage girl.
And by anyone who couldn’t be bothered to vote. Moving, stirring & passionate.
–  Jane Garvey, BBC Radio 4, Woman’s Hour presenter

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#Emilymatters promotes using the right to vote as well as highlighting gender equality issues &  supporting campaigns that seek to redress the balance.

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Emily matters seeks to give a voice to those who are still fighting for freedom’s cause; to vote, to speak freely, to be equal.

Voting is just the start. We’re busy planning future creative projects that will encourage young people and women, not only to vote, but to step up and lead.

There are exciting times ahead so please do get in touch!

You can find us on:

• Twitter
• Instagram
• Facebook 
• Vine

Listening and valuing what others have to say is very much a part of what we do. It matters to me that you are heard and not just at election time.

Help us do Emily Davison and her sister suffragettes proud!

 

Kate Willoughby
Actor & Writer of ‘To Freedom’s Cause‘

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Emily Davison’s legacy is for life, not just for 2013.

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