Frances Gordon facts for kids

Frances Graves, also known as Frances Gordon, was an important British woman born around 1874. She was a suffragette, which means she fought for women to have the right to vote. Frances became a key figure in the part of the women's suffrage movement in Scotland that used strong, direct actions before World War I. She was even put in prison and force-fed because of her efforts to win votes for women.

Fighting for Women's Right to Vote

Frances Graves used the name Frances Gordon when she was campaigning for women's suffrage. Using a different name was common for campaigners. Sometimes they did this to protect their families from being criticized. Other times, it helped them avoid being caught by the police.

Frances Gordon and Arabella Scott were very active in the Scottish women's suffrage movement. This part of the movement believed in taking strong, direct actions to get attention.

The Springhall House Incident

On April 3, 1914, Gordon and Scott were arrested. They had entered Springhall House, a large mansion in Lanarkshire, without permission. Their plan was to cause a fire there as a protest. The house was empty, but a caretaker was woken up by a noise at 2:30 AM. He was surprised to find Gordon inside the house.

The caretaker fired two shots to alert the local police officer. The noise made other suffragettes who were with Gordon run away from the house. The caretaker, who was scared, managed to lock Gordon in the kitchen. He then called the police. When the police arrived, they found suffrage literature and other items related to their protest. Gordon was arrested and taken away.

Frances Gordon's Trial

Frances Gordon was described as a small woman, about forty years old, with a clear English accent. The owner of Springhall House did not want to press charges against Gordon. However, the public prosecutor decided to continue with the case. The trial was set for June 22, 1914.

Court Proceedings

At the High Court of Glasgow, Gordon was accused of trying to set fire to Springhall House. Gordon said she was not guilty. Her lawyer tried to get the case dismissed by saying that trying to set a fire after entering a house was not a crime in Scotland. This attempt was not successful. The jury found her guilty, and she was sentenced to one year in prison.

The Glasgow Evening Times newspaper reported on the trial. They described "Miss Gordon's Remarkable Speech" as she left the court. She shouted to the people watching, "Trust in God, constant war and fight on."

The Evening Times did not mention any problems during the trial. However, the High Court's own records show that three women were charged with interrupting the court. They were shouting and yelling during the proceedings. These three women refused to tell court officials their names.

Release from Prison

On July 3, 1914, Frances Gordon was released from prison. This happened under a law called the Cat and Mouse Act. This act allowed suffragettes who were very ill from hunger strikes to be released. However, they could be re-arrested once they recovered. Gordon was taken to Glasgow after her release.

Not long after World War I began, on August 10, 1914, the British government ordered that all prisoners who had been jailed for suffrage actions be set free. Three days later, Emmeline Pankhurst, a leader of the suffrage movement, announced an end to all militant actions. She said they would save their group's energy and money by stopping activities for a while.

In 2010, the story of four suffragettes, including Scott, Gordon, and Maude Edwards, at Perth prison was made into a play. The play is called Cat and Mouse and was written by Ajay Close.