Monday, January 30, 2006

The Churchill Series - Jan. 30, 2006

(One of a series of daily posts on the life of Winston S. Churchill.)

On November 14, 1909, Churchill traveled by train to Bristol to deliver a speech. Clementine did not often accompany him on such trips, but she did that day.

As they were walking up the platform toward the exit a young suffragette, Theresa Garnett, rushed at Churchill and began beating him with a whip.

He reached up to protect himself at which point Garnett pushed him toward the edge of the platform. Clementine managed to grab Churchill's coat and pull him back, and prevent him falling off the platform and into the path of the train which was just starting to leave the station.

Others quickly helped the Churchill's subdue Garnett. As police led her away she hollered at Churchill, "You brute, why don't you treat British women properly?"

It was a close call.

I was unable to learn what subsequently happened to Garnett. Does anyone know?

Something else: Clementine always supported Churchill in public, but privately she was strongly in favor of granting women the vote.

The Churchills had plenty to talk about on the train trip home.
______________________________________________________
Martin Gilbert, Churchill: A Life. (pgs. 209-210)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://www.johndclare.net/Women1_SuffragetteActions_Rosen.htm

17 Attacking Churchill

The most serious incident of the late autumn of 1909 took place on 13 November in the Great Western Station in Bristol, when Winston Churchill, who had just alighted from a railway carriage, was attacked by a suffragette wielding a riding-switch. Theresa Garnett, a member of the WSPU, broke through the cordon of private detectives surrounding Churchill, gripped his coat, and hit him in the face with her hand. For a moment, Churchill grappled with her as she shouted, `Take that, you brute! You brute! I will show you what English women can do." Charged with assaulting Churchill with a whip, she said, `Has it hurt him much?

(page 126)

Christabel Pankhurst wrote: `Moved by the spirit of pure chivalry, Miss Garnett took what she thought to be the best available means of avenging the insult done to womanhood by the Government to which Mr. Churchill belongs'. Churchill was not hurt, and did not press charges. Theresa Garnett was sent to prison for a month for disturbing the peace.

JWM said...

locomotive breath,

Thank you for the information.

I'm going to work it into a Churchill Series post within the week. It will include other matters readers have informed me on regarding Churchill.

Please watch for it.

Also, this weekend I'll post on the advantage "open sourcing" gives net information providers over antique media.

I hope you look for both posts.

I'll be interested to read your comments.

Again, thank you.

John