Women’s struggle for equality occupies an important page in the history of Great Britain. One of the prominent activists who fought for women’s suffrage in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was Emmeline Pankhurst. She became famous for her radical measures in the fight for equality and women’s rights. However, an equally important place in the history of this women’s movement was occupied by her daughter Christabel. Throughout her life, Christabel continued her mother’s cause and fought for equality. Do you know the story of Christabel Pankhurst, the daughter of a famous suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst? Learn more at manchesterka.com.
Early years of the famous activist
The future activist was born in Manchester in 1880. She was the daughter of the famous British suffragist Emmeline Pankhurst and the radical socialist Richard Pankhurst. Growing up in a family with modern worldviews, she formed her own beliefs. Like her mother, Christabel began an active social life, joining and even leading movements for women’s suffrage.
It should be noted that the Pankhurst family was always dogged by financial difficulties. Still, Christabel, her mother and father were focusing on their work, instead of wealth.
Christabel was an incredibly beautiful and intelligent girl, graceful and self-confident, charming and charismatic. Christabel showed her enthusiasm from a young age. She grew up watching her mother’s steadfast commitment to the suffragette cause. Therefore, it could be said that the activities of Emmeline Pankhurst influenced young Christabel and formed her own principles. Even at an early age, Christabel yearned for new knowledge in every possible way. She even learned to read before going to school. She excelled at Manchester High School for Girls and went on to obtain a BA with honours in law from the University of Manchester. However, unfortunately, Christabel failed to realise herself as a lawyer. After all, women weren’t allowed to practise law back then, which fuelled Christabel’s interest in the equality movement even more.
Fight for equality
While studying at university, Christabel joined Manchester’s suffragette movement, which was led by her mother. She became a member of the Women’s Social and Political Union and advocated civil rebellion, using quite radical tactics from hunger strikes to acts of vandalism and protests. Such actions were necessary to draw attention to the suffragette movement and gain public support.
Christabel also had incredible oratorical skills and the qualities of a true leader. Later, it allowed her to take a leading position in the Women’s Social and Political Union. Her eloquence and constant calls to action resonated with many people of that time. In addition, she skilfully used mass media to inform a wide audience about suffragism. Christabel knew that gaining public support was a key to success for their movement.
Her mother, suffragist leader Emmeline Pankhurst, and other activists were known for their radical measures (meeting disruptions, placard demonstrations, hunger strikes and other rallies). For such actions, they (including Christabel herself) were repeatedly sent to prison.
Christabel was arrested for the first time in 1905 after she interrupted a meeting of the Liberal Party by calling for women’s suffrage. Her other arrest took place in 1907. As she was threatened with permanent arrest, she had to live in Paris for some time. However, when the First World War began, the activist returned to her hometown, where she was arrested again in 1914. For such lawlessness and inhumane treatment of women, Christabel announced a hunger strike. Thanks to it, she was imprisoned for only 30 days instead of three years.
What did Christabel Pankhurst achieve?
The First World War became a difficult challenge for Christabel herself and the entire suffragist movement. Nevertheless, she continued to promote the idea of giving women the right to vote in every possible way.
The year 1918 was a turning point in the history of the women’s suffrage movement. Then the suffragettes achieved their first result, some British women were given the right to vote. However, Christabel didn’t stop there. She announced that she would take part in the 1918 general election. Initially, Christabel planned to stand for Westbury in Wiltshire but later decided to run as a Woman’s Party candidate in the Smethwick constituency. She promoted the idea of peace, condemned the Germans for the war and wanted to build “Britain for the British”, but lost the election.
Christabel decided to leave her native Great Britain in 1921. She moved to the USA and became an evangelist. In the 1930s, Christabel returned to Manchester to continue her activism. However, when World War II broke out she was forced to return to the USA, where she spent the rest of her life.
A prominent British activist who devoted her entire life to the fight for women’s suffrage passed away sitting in a chair in her home in 1958, aged 77.