Vera Wentworth

The Suffragette, Vera Wentworth walking along The Strand, London wearing an apron advertising a march, 1909.
Born Jessie Spink, Vera, previously worked in a shop where she became active in trade unionism. She joined the Women's Social and Political Union in 1908 and became a member of The Young Hot Bloods a group of young suffragettes, fiercely loyal to Emmeline & Christabel Pankhurst. This secretive group, dedicated to carrying out 'danger duty' met every Saturday at 4.30pm in Alan's Tea Rooms in Oxford Street and were used by the WSPU to lead protests, organise parliamentary demonstrations and harass government ministers.
Vera was imprisoned several times for militancy between 1908 and 1912. In September 1909, together with WSPU colleagues, she harassed the Prime Minister, Asquith, while he was staying in Lympne for the weekend, at church, on the golf course and by throwing stones at his window. Vera also took part in the window smashing campaign of March 1912. In prison she went on hunger strike and was force-fed. On her release she achieved her ambition of studying at University by leaving London for St Andrews where she stayed until 1914.