Emmeline Pankhurst was the founder of the Women’s Franchise League in 1889, she was also a member of the Manchester branch of the NUWSS. By 1903 Pankhurst had become frustrated at the NUWSS lack of success in their struggle to get the vote for women. With the help of two of her daughters, Christabel and Sylvia Pankhurst, she formed the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). At first the main aim of the organisation was to recruit more working class women into the struggle for the vote. She also had another daughter, Adela, who became a leader of left-wing socialism in Australia. By 1905 the media had lost any real interest in the struggle for women's rights. Newspapers rarely reported meetings and usually refused to publish articles and letters written by supporters of women's suffrage. In 1905 the WSPU decided to use different methods to obtain the publicity they thought would be needed in order to obtain the vote. They took a much more militant role in campaigning and this won them both respect by some women and the press attention that they wanted. In 1905, Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney attended a meeting in London to hear Sir Edward Grey, a minister in the British government. When Grey was talking, the two wome

(2) More vigorous war measures to include drastic food rationing, more communal kitchens to reduce waste, and the closing down of nonessential industries to release labour for work on the land and in the factories. Some leaders of the WSPU such as Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence disagreed with this arson campaign. In July attempts were made by suffragettes to burn down the houses of two members of the government who opposed women having the vote. Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney were found guilty of assault and fined five shillings each. The Pankhursts became frustrated by the NUWSS lack of success and in 1903 the three women formed the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). In July, 1909, an imprisoned suffragette, Marion Dunlop, refused to eat. When Pethick-Lawrence objected, she was expelled from the organisation. Soon afterwards other imprisoned suffragettes adopted the same strategy. Others like Elizabeth Robins showed their disapproval by ceasing to be active in the WSPU. The summer of 1913 saw a further escalation of WSPU violence. (3) A clean sweep of all officials of enemy blood or connections from Government departments. In 1908 the WSPU introduced the tactic of breaking the windows of government buildings. Pankhurst and Kenney were arrested and charged with assault. When Emmeline returned to Britain in 1925 she joined the Conservative Party (!!) and was adopted as one of their candidates in the East End of London. Richard Pankhurst and Emmeline Pankhurst, was born in Manchester in 1880.