Emily Wilding Davison

Emily Wilding Davison (1872-1913). This postcard was issued as an 'in memoriam' card after Emily's death. Emily is depicted in the portrait wearing her graduation robes, having studied at both Holloway (now Royal Holloway) college and St Hugh's Hall, Oxford. Emily joined the Women's Social and Political Union in 1906 and served her first term of imprisonment in March 1909 for taking part in a deputation from Caxton Hall to see Asquith. A multiple offender she went to prison 7 times for a range of offences including obstruction, stone throwing, window smashing, setting fire to pillar-boxes, and assaulting a minister she mistook for the Cabinet Minister David Lloyd George. In the 1913 Derby she ran onto the racetrack and attempted to stop the King's horse. She received serious head inuries and died four days later at Epsom Cottage Hospital.