Manuscript diary by Marjory Lees who went with 8 women from Oldham as part of the Manchester contingent of the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies (NUWSS) Pilgrimage to London, 7-26 July 1913. Includes press cuttings at front, and 25 pages of detailed information about the Pilgrimage of the diary; Enclosed is a letter from Marjory Lees (undated) sending it to Mrs Horton, Oldham. Transcript of one of the diary entries:
Diary Extract 22 Jul 1913 High Wycombe; Marjory Lees
'At 7 pm, we formed up and marched into High Wycombe behind the Town Band, as we got nearer the town the character of the crowd quite changed. I never before saw so many evil faces gathered together. Eda Sharples and I with some others were sent before the band to set the pace, the police did not go in front to keep the way clear as they had done in other places and the crowd pressed right upon us. We had been told High Wycombe would be rough and had sent the caravans on to Mrs Berneys Ulverscroft where they were allowed to pitch in the drive of the Preparatory School. When our procession arrived at the Fountain where the open air meeting was to be held the pressure was tremendous and we didn't know where to halt, we went to the end of the Square and then some of the banner bearers began to furl their banners and the crowd surrounded them as we thought it best to disperse and followed Miss Collum and her horse who was being personally conducted we fell in with a lady who was returning from her shopping and she showed us the way. We climbed a steep hill by the cemetery, every step we took away from the town gave us a greater feeling of security. We found our vans and got to bed early.
Other pilgrims stayed in hotels and finally they began to arrive in motor cars having had to spend some time in the garage where their luggage had been received. Their meeting had been broken up, there had been some broken windows, eggs and tomatoes had been thrown but fortunately nothing harderOther pilgrims stayed in hotels and finally they began to arrive in motor cars having had to spend some time in the garage where their luggage had been received. Their meeting had been broken up, there had been some broken windows, eggs and tomatoes had been thrown but fortunately nothing harder.'
Marjory Lees' diary: page 2 and 3