Emily Wilding Davison's Funeral Procession

Emily Wilding Davison's funeral procession passing Piccadilly Circus, 14th June 1913. Following her tragic death, Davison was instantly embraced as a martyr to the cause. On 14 June 1913 her body was borne on an open hearse through London to a memoroial service at St George's Church, Bloomsbury before being taken by train to Morpeth, Northumberland for a family funeral. The funeral procession (the last great suffrage march) was organised by fellow suffragette Grace Roe, and the memorial service was presided over by clergy from the Church League for Women's Suffrage.

A delegation of Suffragettes met the coffin at Victoria Station on its arrival from Epsom and accompanied it to Buckingham Palace Road, the starting point of the procession that included members of the Women's Social and Political Union and a number of other suffrage societies. Travelling slowly through central London from 2pm the procession ended at St George's Church, Bloosmbury for a memorial service at 4pm. After the service the coffin was transported to King's Cross station and on by train to the Davison family home of Morpeth, Northumberland for a private funeral. Suffragettes taking part in the procession were required to wear either white, purple, scarlet or black according to their role and position in the procession. As white succeeded purple and scarlet black the the resulting spectacular effect resembled, as noted the Manchester Guardian, 'the long unfurling of a military banner'.

It is possible that St George’s, Bloomsbury was the only church that would hold a service for Emily because of the suspicion (in spite of the coroner’s verdict of misadventure) that Emily committed suicide.
It is also possible that Emily had connections to Reverend Baumgarten of St George's. She attended Kensington High School for Girls at the same time as two misses Baumgarten who were most likely related to the Reverend.