Silver Hunger Strike Medal presented to Florence Haig

Silver Hunger Strike Medal presented to Florence Haig. Inscribed "For Valour/Hunger Strike/Florence Haig" plus the dates of her hunger strikes. Florence Haig (1856-1952) was born in Scotland, the daughter of James Haig, a barrister. She joined the WSPU in 1907 and after founding a branch in Edinburgh with her sister moved to London. In February 1908 Florence was arrested after having taken part in the 'pantechnicon raid' on the House of Commons and sentenced to 6 weeks imprisonment. She was again imprisoned in June 1908 and sentenced to three months in Holloway for her part in a deputation from Caxton Hall to the Houses of Parliament. In 1910 Florence became the WSPU organiser in Chelsea for the January 1910 general election campaign and became honorary secretary of the Chelsea Branch of the WSPU. On 1 March 1912 Florence was arrested for breaking the windows of DH Evans in Oxford Street during the WSPU window-smashing campaign. She was sentenced to four months imprisonment during which she endured hunger strike before being released and presented with her medal.