Florence Hull facts for kids
Florence Jessie Hull (born in 1878) was a brave British suffragette. She wrote about her time in prison while fighting for women's rights. She was a member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). She also served as the secretary for their branch in Letchworth.
Jessie was very active in the fight for women's suffrage, which means the right for women to vote. She was arrested and sent to prison for her part in a suffragette protest. This happened during a time when the WSPU was breaking windows to get attention for their cause. Jessie Hull's name is on the Roll of Honour of Suffragette Prisoners from 1905 to 1914. This list honors women who were jailed for their work.
Early Life of Jessie Hull
Jessie Hull was born in Derbyshire, England, in 1878. Her father, Thomas, made soap. Her mother was Elizabeth Hull. Jessie was the younger sister of Thomas and Daisy. Later, her family moved to Letchworth in Hertfordshire. They lived at 312 Norton Way.
Fighting for Women's Right to Vote
Jessie Hull was the main secretary for the Letchworth branch of the WSPU. She often held meetings for the group at her family's home.
On January 29, 1913, Jessie was arrested in London. This was during a protest by the suffragettes. She was accused of breaking windows at the Colonial Office, which was a government building. She was then sent to prison for 14 days because she refused to pay a fine.
When she was charged, Jessie said, "I mean to stop here, so don't want bail." She told the magistrate, "I did it to protest against the Liberal Government. The sooner they give us the right to vote, the better it will be for them."
Later, Jessie wrote about her prison experience in The Suffragette. This was the WSPU's newspaper. She described how warders would check on them often, even at night.
Jessie Hull's protest was part of a bigger WSPU plan. They wanted to make London "absolutely unbearable" for people. The founder of the WSPU, Emmeline Pankhurst, said that suffragettes should use any methods they liked, as long as they didn't harm people. Another leader, Annie Kenney, even told women to carry a hammer. This was so they could break windows or damage mailboxes as a form of protest.
Many suffragettes used a different name, called an alias. They did this to protect their families or to avoid the police. Jessie Hull used the name Mary Gray. It is thought that she might be listed twice on the Roll of Honour of Suffragette Prisoners because of this.
