How Earl's Court Became a Crucible for the British Women's Rights Movement

thecourt Suffragette How Earl’s Court became a crucible for the British women’s rights movement ART /// Film /// F OOD /// CHELSEA ART FAIR EARL’S COURT FESTIVAL THE o’S SIMPLE ITALIAN Is 21. Director Ben Cooper 2016 is going to be another Promises rustic neighbourhood Keeping explains just what makes it bumper year for film in fun at The Indigo Hotel in different to other fairs your area Barkston Gardens Life Local thecourt CV O ER STORY Freeing Half the Human Race As people around the world celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, Cristina Juan takes a look back on the part Earl’s Court played in the ART women’s political movement, and for a very famous resident. Emmeline Pankhurst speaking at a Trafalgar Square rally in 1916 It seems only fitting that Emmeline Pankhurst is buried at Brompton “We women suffragists have a great mission - Cemetery. Arguably the most vocal of the militant wing of the women’s the greatest mission the world has ever known. voting rights movement in the It is to free half the human race, and through that early 1900s, she had always skirted freedom save the rest” around Earl’s Court. She lived on Russell Square with her husband for memoirs. She especially mentions the militant suffrage activism in support a long period of time, but her final tri-coloured badges that she designed of the war against Germany. She also years were spent with her daughter, herself (she was an artist) and whose called on women to work in munitions Christabel, at 50 Clarendon Road huge sales raised a significant amount factories and asked for humanitarian in Notting Hill. So for one reason or of funds for the movement. The white, help for the almost 100,000 Belgian another, Earl’s Court would become a purple and green colour combination refugees that poured through Earl’s go-to-venue for hushed meetings, loud has since become symbolic of women’s Court, many of them housed at demonstrations, Parliament member- rights, and was later used in designs Empress Hall. Emmeline and husband Richard hecklings, and even an aborted home- for tickets and banners. It was not until after the First believed that she should not be coming after a stint in jail. World War that the women’s suffrage “a household machine.” The Pankhurst women were an On 7 December, 1913, 4,500 women movement would get a major break infamous bunch. On 10 October, organization was set up to outstrip gathered at the Empress Theatre when the Representation of People 1903, Emmeline and several other the radical but law-abiding NUWSS on Lillie Road to protest the fifth Act became law in February 1918. women founded the Women’s Social suffragists, whose major celebrities imprisonment of Emmeline under From that point on women over 30, and Political Union (WSPU). The were based in Kensington, and the the so-called Cat and Mouse Act. who were occupiers of property or passive resistance of the Women’s The Associated Press in covering the married to occupiers, were entitled Freedom League (WFL). WSPU was event said that the suffragettes were to vote. The Pankhurst women only open to women members and its holding an ‘enthusiastic meeting’, continued their fight to involve battle cry was “Deeds, not words”. and went on to give an account of women in government and push for They staged protests, spat on the prolonged cheers when word equal rights. policeman and went on hunger got out that Emmeline had in fact strikes. After the famous Women’s been released and was now at a hotel On 14 June, only weeks before the Sunday demonstration in June of staging another hunger strike. An Conservative Government’s 1928 1908 at Hyde Park, the organization impassioned Mrs Flora Drummond, Representation of the People Act put together a literature stall for the who was presiding over the event, extended the vote to all women over Hungarian Exhibition at Earl’s Court roused the crowd with repeated calls 21 years of age, Emmeline died. She on 25 July of the same year. A fete for volunteers and exclamations never saw the fullest fruit of her and protest were to go with tables of that swore to never again allow the labour, but her grave, laid on a quiet afternoon tea. government to “get Mrs. Pankhurst. northwest corner of Earl’s Court’s The women were asked to dress We shall organize a bodyguard which magnificent cemetery, is often visited in white. Sylvia Pankhurst, one will face even battleships.” and honoured by people all over the Emmeline’s last resting place at of Emmeline’s five children, talks With the coming of the First World world, and will always be a marker for Brompton Cemetery about the success of the event in her War, Emmeline called to suspend all how far women have. thecourt To view The Court online go to Cover Story Special thanks to: Sponsored by For Editorial, Advertorial, www.thecourt.london Cristina Juan Judy Head, Jennifer Wade, Lawrence Denealt Advertising, Business Produced by: and Facebook at Contributors Silke Lohmann, Caroline TLC Estate Agents Digital & Social Solutions, www.facebook.com/welovethecourt Sean Duffy Tod, Susan Sara Rogers email us on Editor Sharon Robinson Printing The [email protected] THE COURT Qualified [email protected] Toby Brown Harrison Print Property COMMUNITY www.harrisonprint.co.uk Professionals Keeping Life Local Listings Editor Camilla Nelson POEM Arrival When I saw your father, before your birth, I saw a boulder, its broad chest teetering on a slope, awkward as his skin stretched and cracked, losing its old self. I saw him weigh each decision carefully, his life mission sharpened like a pencil. I saw him testing father on his tongue, rolling it in his mouth like hot liquid and squinting at its burn. As you stretched your mother’s stomach, so he stretched. He shed parts to prepare. I saw a man naked and unsure, rolling daddy around his tongue, preparing like a raw trumpeter ART A Cut Above the Rest by Lucy Pratt, oil at John Iddon Fine Art stretching abstract notes, creating jazz. Chelsea Art Fair is 21 Malika Booker – From Vinyl Poetry Vol. #8 The Chelsea Art Fair celebrates its 21st birthday this year, and opens its doors to the public from the 21 to 24 April. The Court caught up with fair director Ben Cooper to find out what is in store for London’s buyers. POETRY at the If this is a coming of age story, what are the signs of maturity? When the fair was started by Caroline Penman 21 years ago there were very few art fairs. Now there is the TROUBADOUR London Art Fair at the Business Design Centre, the Affordable Art Fair Battersea… but when we started it Known for its historic role in the folk and jazz was entirely new to bring contemporary art to the market. explosion of the sixties, The Troubadour on Old Brompton Road not only offers its So how have you maintained a high numbers, and intrinsically weird and the whacky. So yes, we famously Bohemian cellar-club stage to unique position? is disposable, we’ve banned that do have many more traditional music-makers but has also become London’s We are a small fair, but we too. The angle for us is to sit in figurative and landscape pieces, liveliest and longest-running poetry venue. have always stuck to a policy of the market and keep absolutely but they are all from leading quality. When I took over the quality galleries, strictly vetted. and emerging artists. There is Since 1954, The Troubadour restaurant-cafe- directorship three years ago some work which is very much stage has produced a venerable musical playlist: I re-launched it completely. The galleries seem to have more ‘contemporary’ in feel, but Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Eric Clapton all played Everyone had to reapply because responded with repeat business… much of the contemporary ‘look’ there. But it has an equally impressive playlist of businesses change and standards We also have an odd link with involves modern photography, contemporary poets. change. We redesigned the stand the southwest of England, which is digital, and therefore is On Monday nights, at special Coffee House plan to only 35 stands and made particularly Cornwall and Devon very easily reproduced. We won’t Poetry events, people listen to readings by, and sure that none of the galleries with the likes of Lighthouse show that. conversations with, writers as varied as Mark Doty, duplicated their artists. Gallery and White Space Art, Roger McGough, Sharon Olds, Daljit Nagra and which has just evolved over You’ve said in the past that this former US Poet Laureate Billy Collins, who is a long- What are the limitations put on the years really. They wouldn’t is a London fair for a London standing Troubadour fan. galleries? come back again and again if it audience… There are poetry talks, like February’s The Poem Artists are submitted by the weren’t commercially viable. There are a very large number as Selfie-Stick debate, themed poetry evenings, a galleries and go to the advisory Being situated on the King’s Road of private buyers who go for whirling spoken-word-and-music impromptu event board. Their work has to be means galleries outside London the 21st century funky look but once a season, and showcase introductions to up- original, and if these are prints, have a chance to have a London they tend to be institutional.

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