Pleasance Pendred facts for kids
Pleasance Pendred (born 15 July 1864 – died 29 September 1948) was a brave British woman who fought for women's right to vote. She was an activist and a suffragette. When she was in Holloway Prison, she went on a hunger strike to protest. Because of this, she was force-fed.
Pleasance Pendred was born as Kate Pleasance Jackson on 15 July 1864 in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. Her father, Thomas Jackson, was a grocer. Her mother was Elizabeth Pendred. When Kate was 16, in 1881, she was a student teacher in Oxford. By 1891, she was a School Board Teacher in Hornsey, London. She lived there for many years.
For 25 years, she worked as a teacher in London. But she was also very active in the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in Hornsey. The WSPU was a group that worked for women's right to vote. She probably started using the name 'Pleasance Pendred' to protect her teaching job. Her employers might not have liked her activism. From 1909 to 1910, she helped with literature for the Hornsey WSPU branch. She also collected money and donations for the group until 1912.
Fighting for Women's Rights
Pleasance Pendred decided to take stronger action for the WSPU. She left her teaching job just before this. On 28 January 1913, she and three other women broke windows of shops and government offices in Westminster. This was a way to protest and get attention for their cause.
During her trial in February 1913, she used the name Pleasance Pendred. She was sentenced to four months of hard work in Holloway Prison. While being sentenced, she spoke out about how she and other suffragettes were treated in prison. She said that the conditions were very bad. She claimed her cell had a hard plank bed and that male guards came into her cell at night. The jury asked for these claims to be investigated.
Hunger Strike and Bravery
While in Holloway Prison, Pleasance Pendred went on a hunger strike. This meant she refused to eat as a protest. She did this for about two months. During this time, she was force-fed, which means she was made to eat against her will. This made her very ill. Even after partly recovering, she continued her hunger strike and was fed by cup.
When she was released from prison, the WSPU gave her a special Hunger Strike Medal. This medal was given to suffragettes who showed great courage during hunger strikes. She also received a welcome picnic from the Hornsey WSPU group. After her release in 1913, she gave talks for the WSPU. She also wrote an article called 'Why Women Teachers Break Windows'. This article was published in a newspaper and helped share her message.
Later Life
Pleasance Pendred passed away in Lewes, Sussex, in 1948. She never married. Her Holloway brooch and Hunger Strike Medal, which were given to her by the WSPU, were sold at an auction in 2001. These items remind us of her bravery and her fight for women's right to vote.
See also
In Spanish: Pleasance Pendred para niños
