Born: 11 October 1872, United Kingdom
Died: 8 June 1913
Country most active: United Kingdom
Also known as: NA
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
Emily Wilding Davison was a key figure in the English suffragette movement, fighting hard for women’s right to vote in early 20th-century Britain as a Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) member.
During her involvement with the WSPU, she got arrested nine times and went on hunger strikes seven times, which led to force-feeding her 49 times. She died a few days after being hit by King George V’s horse, Anmer, during the 1913 Derby while on the racetrack.
Davison came from a middle-class background and studied at Royal Holloway College in London and St Hugh’s College, Oxford. She worked as a teacher and governess before joining the WSPU in November 1906. Over time, she became a prominent member of the organization, known for her daring actions like breaking windows, throwing stones, setting fire to postboxes, planting bombs, and even hiding in the Palace of Westminster on three occasions, including the night of the 1911 census.
Her funeral on June 14, 1913, was organized by the WSPU and saw a procession of 5,000 suffragettes and supporters accompanying her coffin. Along the route in London, 50,000 people paid their respects. Her remains were later taken by train to the family plot in Morpeth, Northumberland.
Davison was a strong feminist and a devoted Christian who believed in the power of socialism for good. However, with no prior explanation, the mystery surrounding her actions at the Derby has given rise to various theories, including accident, suicide, or an attempt to attach a suffragette banner to the king’s horse.