Imprisonment of eight suffragettes in Winson Green Prison in Birmingham following violent protests and incidents linked to a visit by the Prime Minister, Herbert Henry Asquith, to Birmingham on 17 September 1909. Those imprisoned, with sentences ranging from one to three months, were Patricia Woodlock, Ellen Barwell, Hilda Evelyn Burkett, Leslie Hall, Mabel Capper, Mary Edwards, Mary Leigh and Charlotte Marsh.The file contains a number of medical reports on the health of the prisoners, several of whom went on hunger strike and were forcibly fed. It also contains medical opinions on force-feeding and letters from the prisoners' relatives enquiring about their welfare. A recommendation for the release of Mary Leigh on health grounds was approved and took place on 30 October 1909. There are also details of Charlotte Marsh's early release on 9 December 1909 on account of her father's illness, and of attempts by solicitors representing Mary Leigh to take legal action against the Home Secretary. The file records the official appreciation of the Home Secretary to the Governor and prison staff for their handling of the prisoners. - Archives Direct

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Field name	Value
Reference	HO 45/10418/183577
Department/Office	Home Office
Title	Imprisonment of eight suffragettes in Winson Green Prison in Birmingham following violent protests and incidents linked to a visit by the Prime Minister, Herbert Henry Asquith, to Birmingham on 17 September 1909. Those imprisoned, with sentences ranging from one to three months, were Patricia Woodlock, Ellen Barwell, Hilda Evelyn Burkett, Leslie Hall, Mabel Capper, Mary Edwards, Mary Leigh and Charlotte Marsh.The file contains a number of medical reports on the health of the prisoners, several of whom went on hunger strike and were forcibly fed. It also contains medical opinions on force-feeding and letters from the prisoners' relatives enquiring about their welfare. A recommendation for the release of Mary Leigh on health grounds was approved and took place on 30 October 1909. There are also details of Charlotte Marsh's early release on 9 December 1909 on account of her father's illness, and of attempts by solicitors representing Mary Leigh to take legal action against the Home Secretary. The file records the official appreciation of the Home Secretary to the Governor and prison staff for their handling of the prisoners.
Date	1909
Collection	Women in The National Archives
Region	Europe
Countries	United Kingdom
Places	Bristol; Congo; India; Leeds; Liverpool; London; Manchester; South Africa; U. S. A.; United Kingdom
People	Asquith, Herbert; Churchill, Winston; Gladstone, Herbert; Hardie, Keir; Kenney, Annie; Leigh, Mary; Loyd George, David; Pankhurst, Christabel; Pankhurst, Emmeline; Pethick-Lawrence, Emmeline; Troup, Sir Edward
Topics	assault; Bail; Bow Street Police Court; breaking windows; citizenship; demonstration; first division prisoners; forced feeding; general election; House of Commons; House of Lords; hunger strike; Medical Officer; Men's League for Women's Suffrage; Metropolitan Police; nasal tube; New Scotland Yard; oesophageal tube; Parliament; prison; Prison Commissioners; second division prisoners; Special Branch; suffragettes; Suicide; Visiting Committee; Women's Social and Political Union
Copyright	Crown Copyright documents © are reproduced by permission of The National Archives London, UK

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