Kitty Marion

Photograph of Suffragette Kitty Marion. Born Katherina Maria Schafer in Germany she came to England in 1886 at the age of 15 shortly after which she started working for Variety theatre, touring the country. She became a member of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), taking part in deputations to the House of Commons and selling the Votes for Women newspaper. She served a prison sentence for throwing a stone at a post office window and whilst in prison she went on hunger strike, was forcibly fed and even set fire to her cell. IN March 1912 she took part in the window smashing campaign, using a hammer to smash the windows of both the Silversmith’s Association and Sainsbury’s on Regent Street. Because Holloway prison was full she served her 6 month sentence at Winson Green prison in Birmingham. In 1913 she and Clare Giveen were found guil ty of causing a fire which destroyed the grandstand at Hurst Park racecourse in 1913. The fire, which was one of many that she admitted to starting, caused over £7000 worth of damage and she served time in Holloway prison.