Alice Hawkins suffragette

number9

Well-Known Forumite
born in Stafford. anyone know where? they put a statue of her in Leicester last week, but as she was in Stafford until she was 13 i wondered if there is any plaque or note of her time here

http://www.alicesuffragette.co.uk/alicestimeline.php
Alice's Timeline
1863:
Born in Stafford to Henry and Helen Riley one of nine children. Henry was a “journeyman shoemaker”.

1876:
Family moved to Leicester to find work in the shoe trade.

1884:
Alice marries Alfred Hawkins. Met at an early socialist meeting.

1886:
Alice joins the Equity Shoes as a shoe machinist. The company, being a very early workers co-operative, supported Alice in her political life.

1894:
Joined the Independent Labour Party.

1902:
As a member of the Clarion Society Cycling Club, reported in the local newspaper for “outraging public decency” by wearing bloomers!

February 1907:
Alice decides to join a suffragette meeting in Hyde Park on the day of the state opening of Parliament. Arrested on the same day for disorderly conduct at the gates of the House of Commons and given fourteen days in Holloway with twenty-eight other women, including the Pankhursts.

April 1907:
Alice convenes the inaugural meeting of the Leicester branch of the WSPU. Sylvia Pankhurst present and gives a stirring speech.

Summer 1907:
Alice invites the Pankhursts to Leicester to meet the workers of the Equity Shoes. Sylvia Pankhurst sketches Alice whilst at work.

1909:
Alfred heckles Winston Churchill at a public meeting in Leicester. Alice imprisoned for fourteen days for trying to force an entry into the meeting hall.

1910:
Alfred severely injured after again heckling Winston Churchill and being thrown out of a public meeting in Bradford.

1911:
The Men’s Political Union takes the young Liberals to court to sue for Alfred’s injuries. Alfred awarded £100!

September 1911:
Alice and other colleagues in the shoe trade form the Women’s Independent Boot and Shoe Trade Union in an attempt to gain improved pay and conditions of work.

1911:
“Black November”. Mass battles in London. The police severely beat up the suffragettes. Alice given fourteen days for breaking windows at the Home Office.

1911:
Alice and Alfred’s youngest son, Tom, dies suddenly of blood poisoning. The Pankhursts write a moving letter of condolence to them both.

1912:
Alice meets Lloyd George at Parliament with other women to put over her point of view.

1914:
Great War breaks out. Alice’s time as a suffragette comes to an abrupt end.

1946:
Alice dies at the home of her son, Alfred, aged eighty-three.

Post Events
1992:
The Leicester City Council fix a blue plaque on the wall of the Equity Shoe factory in memory of Alice.

2002:
Leicester City Museum service bids at Sotheby’s for a pastel sketch drawn by Slyvia Pankhurst whilst visiting Leicester in 1907. Largely considered to be that of Alice.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I'm unaware of any attention being paid to her here, those involved in the shoe unions may know more.
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
A liitle bit of digging has found this at https://www.facebook.com/shirehallforum/

Posted on 31 January 2018:
Alice Hawkins was born in Stafford in 1863. Her father Henry Riley was a shoe maker and her mother Ellen Riley was a shoe binder both from Stafford and previously had moved from the slums of Digbeth, the shoe making area in Birmingham .. they lived around what is now the Bull Ring. They lived at No 4 Red Lion Street, Stafford when Alice was born with 7 other children in a tiny terrace. This is now gone and is the car park next to Stafford Prison. Her father got the job as the Night Watchman at the prison and became the keeper of the Town Hall and Assistant. Their house was auctioned by the Landlord and they moved to No 7 Red Lion Street. In 1881 aged 18 Alice was working in a Stafford Shoe Factory as a Boot Machinist. The family moved around 1882/1883 to Leicester. She was obviously a formidable Woman and did an amazing Job to help get better conditions for workers and Women's right to Vote.

Shame Stafford have done nothing to celebrate her life .. seeing as her family are Staffordians as well as herself.
 

number9

Well-Known Forumite
the info there means she was here till 18/19.
the part i gave came from her family on the website, and itv said she was working in Leicester at 13.

a plaque on the car park is no good, but maybe on the footpath or even the roundabout could be done
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
Here's the census detail:

Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Sex Age Birth year Birth place Occupation

Henry Riley Head Married Male 58 1823 Stafford, Staffordshire, England Nightwatchman H.M.Prison (?)

Ellen Riley Wife Married Female 59 1822 Stafford, Staffordshire, England -

Alice Riley Daughter Single Female 18 1863 Stafford, Staffordshire, England Boot Machinist

Selina Riley Daughter Single Female 15 1866 Stafford, Staffordshire, England Boot Machinist

First name(s) Alice
Last name Riley
Relationship Daughter
Marital status Single
Sex Female
Age 18
Birth year 1863
Birth town Stafford
Birth town as transcribed STAFFORD
Birth county Staffordshire
Birth county as transcribed STAFFORDSHIRE
Birth place England
Occupation Boot Machinist
House number 7
Street Red Lion Street
Town -
Parish Stafford St Mary and Chad
County Staffordshire
Country England
Registration district Stafford
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Let us imagine for a moment what most of our current news media would make of a similar person today...
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
Movement starts here...

Plaque on the Prison wall? Appropriate? Certainly the recent call for the Suffragettes to be pardoned for their crimes was given short shrift - none imprisoned were 'ashamed' of it.

Worth working towards, that's for sure.

History of which 'we' should be justifiably proud.

Due to the planting of bombs and sending of letter bombs im pretty sure she'd be held in such high esteem as bin laden.
With some exceptions...

I'd be interested to see if @captainpish could provide any evidence that any Suffragettes, and specifically Alice Hawkins, planted any bombs, or sent any letter bombs, during their campaign for enfranchisement?

I'd be even more interested to see if he might make any kind of apology for suggesting that they did, when he can find no supporting evidence for these assertions.

I shall not, in the interim, hold my breath.
 

Tilly

Well-Known Forumite
The line between freedom fighter and terrorist is none existent in both current time and history according to whoever you believe to be judge

Nelson Mandela
George Orwell
Tiny Tim
Nobby Stiles
Cock Robin
Blackfoot Sue
Jimmy Clitheroe
Andy Pandy
Charlie Farlie
Piggy Malone
David Bellamy
Arthur Negas
Sandie Shaw
Lisa from Steps
Tenpole Tudor
Ena Sharples
Robert Relf
Victor
Jenny Bond
Jonny Seven
Robbie Robot
Ted Moult
Michael X
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
I stand well and truly corrected - that's some really interesting shit, man.

Apologies for the tone - there's so much revisionist wanktraffic spaffing about these days that i very rarely take anything at face value. Not massively sure how much credence to latch on to Simon Webb's 'thick and fast' 'wave of bombings' shtick, when accompanied with about ten actual examples. Haven't been able to briefly get some sort of idea of the 'scale' of the campaign but will definitely look further into it when time allows.

Interesting that this 'wave of bombings' ceased just at the time that, being pressed into service in munitions factories, they finally had a good source of quality explosive material readily available. Probably missed a trick there.

This modern history lark is a bit beyond my ken as more of a Medievalist, but i'm pretty sure there is a statue of some sort of Mandela in the environs of the Houses of Parliament which attracts little controversy.

‘If men use explosives and bombs for their own purpose they call it war, and the throwing of a bomb that destroys other people is then described as a glorious and heroic deed. Why should a woman not make use of the same weapons as men. It is not only war we have declared. We are fighting for a revolution!’
Christabel Pankhurst, 1913
 

FannyC

Newbie
Hi All

I wrote the bit about Alice on the Shire Hall Forum Site. Its great that someone else is interested in her, as a Staffordian to be proud of.

I've been researching her life in detail. She left Stafford in 1882 when she was 19 and moved to Leicester not 1876 as previous thought. Her Father was a Shoemaker in his early life but from 1864 was the Nightwatchman at HMP Stafford and in the late 1860s to early 1870s was also the Town Hall Keepers Assistant. The family all 12 of them lived in Red Lion Street. (She was one of 10 children not 9) Firstly at no 4 and then when the Landlord auctioned the house moved to no 7. Maybe the move threw History out ??

I am currently on the case of seeking some kind of acknowledgement of her here. A blue plaque or similar. She did all of her Suffragette Work in Leicester but started her life in the Shoe Trade as a Boot Machinist in Stafford so I am researching her beginnings as a Trade Unionist. I have informed her Great Nephew Peter Barratt (Alicesuffragette Blog) of my new findings and of the same, The families earlier life of moving from Stafford to Digbeth in Birmingham for a while.and living in the slums, is interesting too.

You'll be hearing more about Alice and her connection with Stafford as the History Books are incorrect and although I don't want Leicester to not be proud or acknowledge her work there as they are entitled to that,. I think we should also honour one of our own.

I have all the Newspaper cuttings related to the auction of the house and even Henry's announcement of employment in the paper. I am a history nerd I guess.

If anyone is interested Ill post an update on my findings and of my chat to the powers that be !!!
 

Sir BoD

Well-Known Forumite
Stafford's answer to Robson Green didn't stick around Stafford for too long (apparently his mate Chas warned him that Mosta Mead was closing and the town was as dead as Dodo). That said, he did creep back for a while then buggered off again when he heard they were going to knock down the Shire Hall and replace it with a new build - but we still laud him with a statue.
 

number9

Well-Known Forumite
Stafford's answer to Robson Green didn't stick around Stafford for too long (apparently his mate Chas warned him that Mosta Mead was closing and the town was as dead as Dodo). That said, he did creep back for a while then buggered off again when he heard they were going to knock down the Shire Hall and replace it with a new build - but we still laud him with a statue.
what?
 

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
Hi All
I am currently on the case of seeking some kind of acknowledgement of her here. A blue plaque or similar... I have informed her Great Nephew Peter Barratt (Alicesuffragette Blog) of my new findings and of the same... (clicky for linky)

You'll be hearing more about Alice...

If anyone is interested I'll post an update on my findings and of my chat to the powers that be !!!
Yes, please do.
 
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