A Lancashire Lass in Clogs & Shawl Being "Escorted" Through Palace Yard

Commercial picture postcard depicting a Suffragette under arrest with a satirical verse beneath. Headed 'A Lancashire Lass in Clogs and Shawl Being 'Escorted' Through the Palace Yard, Westminster, 20 March 1907. The image, originally printed on the front page of the Daily Mirror, depicts the young 16 year old Huddersfield mill girl Dora Thewlis being arrested in London during a Suffragette demonstration. The parliamentary defeat of a Private Members Bill that would have given the vote to some women, was the catalyst for the demonstration. Sixty-five suffragettes were arrested in the ensuing attempt to enter the lobby of the House of Commons. Dora was part of the Yorkshire contingent in clogs and shawls that travelled to London by train to participate. In Court she was patronisingly described as 'the little mill hand' and, by the media as 'Baby Suffragette'.
The handwritten note on the reverse of the postcard reads, 'Dear I am seding you PC as promised. i think it is very good take me back to P. yard I expect you are [illegible] have just sent a letter to her will write later from your loveing Edward G.W.' Addressed to Miss D Pethick. 12A Cotham Rd, Bristol. D Pethick was Dorothy Pethick, the sister of Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence.