Hunger Strike Medal facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Hunger Strike Medal
Medal awarded to Myra Sadd Brown in 1912
Awarded by Women's Social and Political Union
Established	August 1909 (1909-August)
Ribbon	Green, White, Purple
Motto	'For Valour'
Criteria	Awarded by the to suffragette prisoners who had gone on hunger strike during their imprisonment.
Grades	Force-feeding – additional striped enamel bar
Statistics
Total inductees	81 known

The Hunger Strike Medal was a special silver medal. It was given to brave suffragette women between 1909 and 1914. These women were fighting for women's suffrage, which means the right for women to vote.

The medals were awarded by the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). This group led the fight for women's votes in the United Kingdom. Many suffragettes were sent to prison for their actions. While in prison, some went on hunger strike. This meant they refused to eat. Some were even fed against their will. The medals honored their courage and determination.

The WSPU created these medals to boost spirits. They wanted to encourage women to keep fighting for their cause. Sylvia Pankhurst designed the Hunger Strike Medals. They were first given out in August 1909. Later, women received their medals at a special breakfast after leaving prison.

Why the Medals Were Created

On July 5, 1909, a suffragette named Marion Wallace Dunlop started a hunger strike. She was in Holloway Prison. She had been jailed for writing a message on the wall of the House of Commons.

Marion believed she was a political prisoner, not a criminal. She went on strike to protest this. Her strike lasted 91 hours. The prison released her to prevent her from dying. Marion's idea quickly inspired many other suffragettes. They also began hunger strikes in prison.

What the Medal Looks Like

Medal in its presentation case with silver bar for a hunger strike and enamel bar for force-feeding awarded by the WSPU to Mabel Capper

The Hunger Strike Medal is round and made of silver. It hangs from a ribbon with the WSPU's colors: purple, white, and green. A silver pin bar holds the ribbon. This bar is engraved with the words 'For Valour', just like the famous Victoria Cross military medal.

The front of the medal says 'Hunger Strike'. The back has the recipient's name surrounded by a laurel wreath. The medals were made by a company called Toye & Co. Each medal cost the WSPU about £1.00.

Some medals have silver bars. These bars were added for each time a woman went on hunger strike. The back of these bars shows the date of arrest that led to the strike. If a woman was fed against her will, she received an extra bar. These bars were made of purple, white, and green enamel. They also had the date of the force-feeding engraved on them. For example, sculptor Edith Downing's medal bar says 'Fed by Force 1/3/12'. This shows she was force-fed on March 1, 1912.

How the Medals Were Given Out

Hunger Strike Medal awarded to Georgina Fanny Cheffins

Each Hunger Strike Medal came in a special purple box. The inside was lined with green velvet. The lid had a white silk lining with a gold message. It said: 'Presented to [name] by the Women's Social and Political Union in recognition of a gallant action, whereby through endurance to the last extremity of hunger and hardship a great principle of political justice was vindicated'. This message honored the women's bravery and their fight for justice.

Where You Can See Medals Today

Charlotte Blacklock's Hunger Strike Medal, Museum of Australian Democracy collection

Many of these historic medals are now in museums or private collections. The Museum of London has the medal given to the famous suffragette leader, Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst. She went on hunger strike in 1912.

Helen MacRae Hunger Strike Medal, auctioned by Lockdales Auctioneers in 2015.

In 2015, Helen MacRae's medal was sold at auction for £12,300. Experts called it one of the most important items they had ever sold. Another medal, belonging to Elsie Wolff Van Sandau, sold for £12,500 in 2019. Selina Martin's medal was bought by the National Gallery of Victoria, Australia for £27,000.

The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa bought Frances Parker's medal in 2016. The Museum of Australian Democracy has Charlotte Blacklock's medal. Kate Williams Evans's medal is now at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales.

Some medals are hidden in special places. Rosamund Massy's medal and her Holloway brooch are buried inside the base of Emmeline Pankhurst's statue in London. In 2023, the Glasgow Women's Library successfully raised money to buy Maud Joachim's medal. It was the first WSPU hunger strike medal awarded in Scotland.

Who Received the Medals

Emily Davison wearing her Hunger Strike Medal and Holloway brooch c. 1910–1912

Janie Terrero wearing her Hunger Strike Medal and Holloway brooch c. 1912

As of October 2023, we know of 82 women who received these medals. The list below includes their names and, if known, the dates of their arrest that led to a hunger strike.

Suffragettes on hunger strike in 1909 - photo by Elin Wagner

Women Likely to Have Received Medals

The women listed here were WSPU hunger strikers. This means they likely received a medal. However, we haven't found proof of their specific medals yet.

See also

In Spanish: Medalla de huelga de hambre para niños

• Holloway brooch
• Holloway banner
• Suffrage jewellery
• The Suffragette Handkerchief