Born 14 July 1858 – Died 14 June 1928

Pankhurst was a leading British women’s rights activist, who led the movement to win the right for women to vote. Pankhurst was perhaps the most influential woman of the twentieth century. Today her name is synonymous with the ‘votes for women’ campaign and she is remembered as the most brave and inspirational suffrage leader in history. Like many suffragettes, Emmeline was arrested on numerous occasions over the next few years and went on hunger strike herself, resulting in violent force-feeding. In 1913, in response to the wave of hunger strikes, the government passed what became known as the ‘Cat and Mouse’ Act. Hunger striking prisoners were released until they grew strong again, and then re-arrested. This period of militancy was ended abruptly on the outbreak of war in 1914, when Emmeline turned her energies to supporting the war effort. In 1918, the Representation of the People Act gave voting rights to women over 30. Emmeline died on 14 June 1928, shortly after women were granted equal voting rights with men (at age 21).