Relief: Women's Social and Political Union - prisoners' badge
Erection date: 13/7/1959
{Incised on the stone support below:}
W. S. P. U. Prisoners' Badge
1905 - 1914
{Carved into the end wall on the left:}
Replica of badge, a broad arrow on the Westminster Arms, given by the Women's Social and Political Union to over 1000 women who suffered imprisonment for Women's Enfranchisement.
The sculpture shows a WSPU prisoners' badge. This was designed by Sylvia Pankhurst - see there for more information about it.
Site: Emmeline Pankhurst statue (3 memorials)
SW1, Abingdon Street, Victoria Tower Gardens
The statue of Emmeline was unveiled in 1930, further south in Victoria Tower Gardens, without the low flanking wall. Peace has a photo of it there. The statue was moved here in 1958 and then in 1959 it was enhanced with the addition of the flanking wall with the medallions at each end, jointly known as the Dame Christabel Pankhurst Memorial. The move probably followed Christabel's death in 1958 and was in preparation for the additions.
The WSPU badge medallion is to the left and Christabel's portrait medallion to the right.
The unveiling by Baldwin is shown in this British Pathe news film, found for us by Jamie Davis. The woman conducting the Metropolitan Police band is Ethel Smyth.
