suffragettes Emily Wilding Davison

[Maggie/915]

Years of force feeding and other indignities may have persuaded her to take action.

The miners strike and police brutality may or may not come someway to explain.

We all have points at which we become militant.

Check out this website, many people feel strongly about lots of things from litter to politics.

If we went back to a time when only an elitist few had the vote we might understand her sincerely held views.

Either way it is good to discuss.

[Keith Scantlebury]

Had she survived the colision, I would say she would have been criminalised, rather than martyrd after death. The fact that "she took one for the cause" is no excuse for endangering other peoples lives. As far as I can see these women were downright selfish as to bringing attention to their actions. Most of them wealthy women with nothing better to do. Emily Davisons intentions were to go to France to visit her sister for a while shortly after the Derby. ........ All this for a vote , take a look at the clowns running the country now. That's what the vote gave you !!!

[Maggie/915]

Warning

Please The Keiths If you go to Morpeth in the next few months, do not under any circumstances express these opinions.

Today at Saint Mary's there may have been trouble.

Luckily you are in Bedlington.

[keith lockey]

Excuse me Maggie! Is this a threat? I personally do not take kindly to threats, especially on an open site. I urge the Moderators and Administrators to look into this.

Bedlington.co.uk is a marvelous site for sharing information and discussing issues regarding Bedlington and surounding areas. The debates can be varied and lively but I think you are pushing the issue with Emily Wilding Davison - a Morpeth lass. I wasn't even involved in this last batch of debates on this topic but have already voiced my opinions on the subject and was ready to leave it be. Please don't turn this site into a muck-slinging arena. You have already insulted me by calling me a Daily Mail reader and I resent that profoundly. Keep this site friendly, Maggie. I can't speak for the other Keith but I certainly wont stand for being threatened on Bedlington.co.uk.

Edited March 9, 2013 by keith lockey

[Maggie/915]

Sorry Keith it was meant to be light and humorous!

Yesterday was International Women's Day and there were a lot of people in Morpeth paying tribute to her.

She fought for freedom to speak your mind.

Some people would enjoy reading the Daily Mail, and applaud their stand on life.

I have a different opinion to you, and should have left you with the last word.

However in raising the profile of Bedlington, maybe this dialogue will motivate people to have opinions, disagree and still stay friends or fellow residents.

[Maggie/915]

I have offered to resign from the site.

Sorry once again for any offence, none intended.

[Symptoms]

The only people who oppress women are men, they always have and they probably always will. The oppression of women, as we all know, takes many forms: from brutal subjugation that we're all witnessing on the news each night all the way through to that, so called, 'harmless office banter'. Many men don't like women to have independant opinions - shame on them!

[Malcolm Robinson]

Back online at last!

Sorry Maggie only the Pope can resign from this site!!!!!!

Looks like fairly balanced, if a smidgen towards the dark side, banter to me!

Pull ya necks in and get on with it, no need for anyone to fall out.

The mods have spoken!

[keith lockey]

The only people who oppress women are men, they always have and they probably always will. The oppression of women, as we all know, takes many forms: from brutal subjugation that we're all witnessing on the news each night all the way through to that, so called, 'harmless office banter'. Many men don't like women to have independant opinions - shame on them!

I've never believed that women have just sat back in the shadows and said yes this and yes that throughout history. Look at some of the most powerful women in past times, Cleopatra, Boudicca, Pocahontas, Victoria, Elizabeth, way before voting was an issue. I Honestly think that women have had more say in the decision making of Presidents and Prime Ministers than we'll ever know. In the American Civil War women bullied and goaded generals and authorities into giving them the right to attend the wounded on the battlefield. Clara Barton, Dorothea Dix, Mary Ann Byckerdyke and Elizabeth Blackwell. Women with strong wills who went on to achieve great things in a 'man's world'. Please read Lysistrata by Aristophanes, it is a great slant on ancient Greece and male dominance.

Edited March 9, 2013 by keith lockey

[keith lockey]

I have offered to resign from the site.

Sorry once again for any offence, none intended.

Maggie, no one wants anyone to resign. It's just this EWD thing is getting volatile. It is a touchy subject and even the historians are split about her motives and designs. She could have done more harm to the WSPU on that day than people are aware. It was the King's horse!!!! As the other Keith said if that happened today there would be hell to pay.

Edited March 9, 2013 by keith lockey

[Keith Scantlebury]

Maggie, my opinions on the subject are aimed purely at this particular woman and the way she conducted herself after a very privelaged education, not against the suffragette movement in general. I am not sexist, nor am I a bigot. My opinions of Emily Wilding Davison will always completely differ from yours and anyone else who supports her for that matter. There will never be any middle ground. Also, may I add, I have not said anything on here that I would not say to anyones face in Morpeth or anywhere else.

I wonder how an on camera interview with the family of the Kings jockey would go down, had the technology been available then ?. (in the style of the modern commentators / interviewers )

The likes of Browell Smith and Co and Winns solicitors would have had a field day, if todays attitudes to this sort of thing were arround then, Whiplash anyone !!! ?

Now the fact that I would not let my wife learn to drive simply because I feel she dosn't need a driving licence to get from the kitchen to the bedroom, does not mean that I disrespect women, it just means that if we had a bigger house I would think about it......... can't get fairer than that , can ya ?

Edited March 10, 2013 by keith

[Malcolm Robinson]

Kitchen to the bedroom and your not sexisit! Keef1 you had better moderate this thread, I think it might explode now! :lol:

[Symptoms]

Keith - that final paragraph in your last post (#36) is a joke isn't it? ... please tell me it's meant to be a joke. It's got to be a joke or a typo especially after writing, "I am not sexist, nor am I a bigot."

" ... the way she conducted herself after a very privelaged education, ..." surely you're not suggesting that " ... this particular woman ..." should have disqualified herself from protest action? Perhaps it was because she was 'educated' that she developed a sense of the injustice afoot.

Edited March 11, 2013 by Symptoms

[Keith Scantlebury]

Joke ? Typo ? hmmmmmm. Most protesters dont end up in jail - on more than one occasion as well. Most protesters do not endanger lives (there have been other occasions like Brightlingsea ) this particular woman did both

[Symptoms]

KeithL, whilst I agree with you that the women on your list (post #34) may well have done great things, and I could add half-a-hundred others, it's still a terribly short list ... I wonder why?

Keith, when you write: "Now the fact that I would not let my wife learn to drive simply because I feel she dosn't need a driving licence to get from the kitchen to the bedroom, does not mean that I disrespect women, it just means that if we had a bigger house I would think about it......... can't get fairer than that , can ya ? "

Obviously, it's none of my business to comment on your relationship and I wouldn't dream of doing so, but ... how can you not letting MrsKeith drive, how can you depriving her of a licence, not amount to disrespect? Women are able to make those decisions for themselves.

[keith lockey]

With regards to short list. I actually wanted to put a whole host of names on it, Symptoms, but talked myself out of it in case people thought I was being smartass. I honestly believe women have been more influential behind the scenes than we think, and by that I mean before they got the vote, etc. It may sound corny but love is a wonderful thing, and a man, in any position, whether it be a painter or a President, is going to respect that love, that wife, and he will listen to her and what she has to say. He will respect her opinions and no doubt be swayed by any wise counsel, and that applies to Ancient Greece or modern times. The list was short simply because I didn't want to start preaching, no other reason Symptoms.

Edited March 11, 2013 by keith lockey

[Keith Scantlebury]

Symptoms, if you promise not to tell anyone, I'll let you into a secret, shhhhhh come closer she can drive, really. I WAS ONLY JOKING. ................ Ha ha

[Symptoms]

KeithL - I don't disagree that there've been loads of women being influential "behind the scenes"; my arguement is why the hell should they have to do it from there. Actually, deep down we all know the reasons. As to the list ... yep, we could both add loads more names but it will always appear shrunk by comparison to any list of men - and for the same reasons.

Keith - thankfully, by recanting you've saved yourself from a 'show trial' here. I always knew you were joking because nobody in their right mind would seriously hold views like that. Phew, what a relief!

[Maggie/915]

A local lass made a speech at Morpeth.

Nedderton I believe, called Caisley.

My reason for introducing the topic was to raise the profile of Bedlington and try to find a local connection.

[Malcolm Robinson]

My owld boiler goes every year Maggie after her father introduced her to the memorial service in his last months. Happens to be her birthday too so no excuses for not remembering.

[Symptoms]

"My owld boiler ... " - stop it now Mal. You have a responsible role here and perhaps have ambitions for elected office; these things will come back and bite you in the bum, not to mention the 'show trial' that CAN be arranged. Just a friendly warning!

[Malcolm Robinson]

Just carrying on Keef1's style of treatise given this topic title!

[Maggie/915]

Could people be put off joining the site because of the language we use!

I am not ruling myself out.

[Malcolm Robinson]

I think every 'conversation' stands that chance Maggie. Its like overhearing something out of context and forming a resolute opinion based solely on that snippet. Quite often its completely erroneous.

You obviously went right back and read through vast tracts of this site you found most interesting and brought some of it back to life. That would give you a reasonable judgement on how the regular contributors in those threads converse. And that's notwithstanding page two of this thread!

People jump in, people jump out, its a big enough site to handle that.

[Vic Patterson]

Could people be put off joining the site because of the language we use!

I am not ruling myself out.

Quite the opposite! (when read in the right context) considering the writer and topic at that time!

Edited March 13, 2013 by Vic Patterson