In June 1913, Emily Davison ran in front of the Kings Horse at the Epsom Derby – she died from her injuries four days later, and was remembered at this year’s Derby. A plaque commemorating this moment 100 years ago was unveiled. However, many do not know about the role Asian women played during the suffragette movement.
By the early 1900’s, women had been campaigning for the right to vote for nearly half a century. The birth of the Women’s Social and Political Union, founded by Emmeline Pankhurst in 1903 breathed new life into the suffragette movement. But it wasn’t just the rights of British women that the suffragettes fought for, it was also a fight to free all oppressed women, whatever their nationality.
During this time, British colonialism was at its height and many Asian women found themselves adrift within British society. Most came to Britain as servants, Ayah’s (nannies) travelling as attendants to the many English families, who travelled back and forth between Britain and India. Generally these attendants were only temporarily employed for the few weeks of travel involved in relocating and were quite often simply dismissed on entry into England. Passage back to India was often difficult, especially during War time and so the Ayah’s Home was set up in to house those waiting to return to India and find them employment in the interim. Living within the British society was a disparaging experience. Taken away from their families, young Asian women found themselves alone and isolated with little or no support.
It was pre-war Britain that first saw the rise of the suffragette movement, as women all over the England fought for gender equality and the right to vote. From the 1870’s onwards, many British high society feminists voiced their concerns for their Indian sisters. However, at the time Asian women were generally regarded as being passive and helpless. They were portrayed more as objects of pity and misfortune, to be rescued by their British sisters.
There were two very influential Asian women suffragettes that refuted this portrayal of passiveness and helplessness and between the two of them they blazed a trail their Indian sisters would be proud of.
A famous Indian suffragette was Sophia Duleep Singh was born in 1876, the last of four daughters to the Maharaja Duleep Singh. She became a prominent figure within the British suffragette movement and an icon to all Asian women living both in Britain and in India. She was particularly renowned for her role in being one of the forerunners for the Women’s Tax Resistance League.
Sophia, along with her suffragette sister, Catherine Duleep Singh lived in Farady House, a part of Hampton Court; as such they were both very close to other high profile militant suffragette residents within the palace.
Sophia became an active campaigner and fundraiser for Women’s Rights and would often be seen standing on the street corner outside Hampton Court palace selling copies of the Suffragette Magazine. She made many court appearances for non-payment of taxes and in 1911 was fined by the courts for refusing to pay the taxes due on her five dogs and man servant. The courts also seized her diamond ring and auctioned it off. However, the auction itself was attended by many Women’s Rights campaigners, one of which, a lady called Mrs Topling, purchased the ring and promptly returned it to Sophia.
Sophia Duleep Singh continued her resistance on the tax front and took part in many acts of civil disobedience. She marched at the head of the Black Friday deputation to the Houses of Parliament in 1910, a march that ended with police violence and the death of two suffragettes and took part in the 10,000 strong “Women’s War Work” procession in 1915, led by Emmeline Pankhurst.
These women became highly influential figures to many other Asian and British suffragettes but are largely forgotten today.
By Shahida Rahman
