Caprina Fahey facts for kids

Caprina Fahey (born Gilbert; 13 September 1883 – 26 October 1959) was a brave British suffragette. Suffragettes were women who fought for the right to vote. In 1914, she received a special award called the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) Hunger Strike Medal "for Valour" because of her efforts. She was a very active member of the WSPU and was even sent to Holloway Prison twice for her protests. Years later, in 2017, the Norfolk Museums Service asked for more information about her life to celebrate her contributions.

Caprina was born in Capri, Italy. Her father, Alfred Gilbert, was a famous sculptor. She grew up living in different countries like Italy, Belgium, and England. She got married twice. It was unusual for women at that time, but she divorced her first husband and kept custody of their child. Caprina trained as a masseuse (someone who gives massages) and helped the French Red Cross during World War I. Later, she became a qualified midwife. She then moved to Hainford in Norfolk, where she lived with her second husband until she passed away in 1959.

Early Life and Family

Caprina Fahey was born as Charlotte Emily Caprina Gilbert in Capri, Italy, on 13 September 1883. She was the youngest of five children. Her mother was Alice Jane Gilbert, and her father was Alfred Gilbert. He was a famous sculptor who created the Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain in Piccadilly Circus, London, which you might know as the statue of Eros. He also made a memorial for Henry Fawcett in Westminster Abbey. Henry Fawcett was married to Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett, who led a different group fighting for women's voting rights.

Caprina's parents were cousins and ran away to Paris to get married. They lived in France and Italy before returning to England as her father's career grew. When her father faced financial difficulties in 1901, the family moved to Bruges, Belgium, and then back to England. Caprina traveled to Belgium with her mother in September 1901.

Sometimes, Caprina would pose for her father's sculptures. However, he didn't approve of her later work as a suffragette. In a letter in 1909, he wrote about her being a "banner waver in a rotten Cause!!!!" He later didn't include her in his will, but she did attend his funeral.

Caprina's Work and Life

Caprina Fahey trained to be a masseuse. In 1901, she married Alfred Edward Fahey and took his last name. Alfred worked as an assistant to her father and was also a painter. They had a son named Dennis Mountiford Fahey in 1905. However, Alfred left her when their son was only six months old. Caprina later sued Alfred for divorce and was given custody of Dennis, which was quite unusual for women at that time. Sadly, her husband died soon after in 1907. Their son Dennis passed away at age 35, leaving Caprina with three grandchildren.

During World War I, Caprina worked with the French Red Cross as a masseuse, helping injured soldiers. It's believed she met her second husband, Edward Knight, during this time. After returning to Britain, she trained to become a midwife and qualified in May 1917. She also joined the Women's Institutes, a group that helps women in rural areas.

Caprina and Edward Knight moved to Rose Cottage in Hainford, Norfolk, during World War II. Caprina worked as an Air Raid Warden, helping to keep people safe during air raids. They also hosted at least one child who had been evacuated from a city during the war. They lived in Rose Cottage until Caprina's death.

Fighting for Women's Votes

From the mid-1900s, Caprina Fahey became a very active member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). This group was famous for its strong protests to get women the right to vote. Caprina's name is on the Suffragette Roll of Honour, which lists women who were sent to prison for their activism.

She joined the WSPU in 1908 and, within two years, became an organizer for Middlesex. At this time, she lived with another suffragette named Vera Wentworth in London. Caprina also helped organize suffragette meetings in central Buckinghamshire during the summers of 1908 and 1909.

Suffragette prisoners marching after being released in 1909.

In 1909, Caprina was arrested along with 26 other suffragettes. They had marched from Caxton Hall and tried to enter the House of Commons (where laws are made). She was sentenced to one month in prison for obstructing the police, along with other famous suffragettes like Constance Lytton. In November 1910, she was involved in a protest known as Black Friday and was arrested again for protesting, receiving two weeks in prison. Both of Caprina's prison sentences were served in Holloway Prison. While there, she went on a hunger strike to protest her imprisonment and demand votes for women.

Caprina also connected with other suffragettes in Norfolk, including Princess Sophia Alexandra Duleep Singh. By 1913, Caprina was asked to be a 'captain' and lead one of the groups of suffragette mourners at the funeral procession of Emily Davison. Emily Davison was a suffragette who died after stepping in front of the King's horse at the Epsom Derby.

Caprina Fahey received the WSPU Hunger Strike Medal "for Valour" on 14 March 1914. This medal was given to suffragettes who went on hunger strike in prison. She was arrested under the name Emily Charlton and also used the name 'Charlotte Hay' at times. Her medal is now kept in the Norfolk Museums Service archive.

Remembering Caprina Fahey

Caprina Fahey passed away at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital on 26 October 1959. Her funeral was held at All Saints Church in Hainford. The Rose Cottage where she lived was later taken down in 1975.

When she died, her death notice didn't mention her work as a suffragette. However, it did record her time with the Red Cross, her work as a registered midwife, and her role as an Air Raid ARP Warden, as well as her membership in the Women's Institutes.

In November 2017, the Norfolk Museums Service asked the public for more information about Caprina's life and legacy. This appeal helped them find out more about her, and a suffragette certificate she received is now in the museum. Caprina was also nominated for the Suffrage to Citizenship project, which celebrates women who helped shape local government. In 2019, her Hunger Strike Medal was shown at an event at Norwich Castle.