Emily Wilding Davison was born on this day, 11 October, in 1872.
I wrote this song as a tribute to her and another legendary social campaigner, Tony Benn, about the plaque he had placed in a broom cupboard in The House of Commons to commemorate the night Emily spent there on the eve of the 1911 census, so she could give that as her address and further the rights of votes for women. 2 years later Emily died under the King’s horse in the Epsom Derby.
TONY BENN’S TRIBUTE TO EMILY DAVISON
“In this broom cupboard Emily Wilding Davison hid herself, during the night of the 1911 census. She was a brave suffragette campaigning for votes for women at a time when parliament denied them that right. In this way she was able to record her address on the night of that census as being ‘The House of Commons’, thus making her claim to the same political rights as men. Emily Wilding Davison died in June 1913 from injuries sustained when she threw herself under the king’s horse at The Derby to draw attention to the injustice suffered by women. By such means was democracy won for the people of Britain” Tony Benn MP
TONY & EMILY
She slips through the doorway
Away from the crowds down the stairs
– she steals through the nightJust a plain looking woman
Concealed in her coat and her cares – pursuing her right
In a tangle of corridors
Furtively turning the locks – the day growing dim
Footsteps in the distance
She hears the men coming her way – the last door gives in
There in the dark with the mops and the brooms
She opens her handkerchief makes herself room
A small piece of bread and a small piece of cheeseAnd a jar filled with water between her knees
By the light of a candle she reads a small book
And she waits – and she waits
On the third day of April Nineteen eleven she woke
– and she gave her address
‘These houses of commons houses of men and now me’ – she smoothed down her dress‘
I’m not asking for favours
Just claiming what’s rightfully mine’
– she cried to the world‘
To rebel against tyrantsIs to show your allegiance to god’
– she cried as she fell
A hundred years later he slips down the stairs
And he senses her purpose he breathes in her air
He’s made her a sign which he nails to the door
He knows the equality
Emily gave her life for
He lights a small candle to honour her name
And he waits – and he waits
TONY BENN’S TRIBUTE TO EMILY DAVISON
“In this broom cupboard Emily Wilding Davison hid herself, during the night of the 1911 census. She was a brave suffragette campaigning for votes for women at a time when parliament denied them that right. In this way she was able to record her address on the night of that census as being ‘The House of Commons’, thus making her claim to the same political rights as men. Emily Wilding Davison died in June 1913 from injuries sustained when she threw herself under the king’s horse at The Derby to draw attention to the injustice suffered by women. By such means was democracy won for the people of Britain” Tony Benn MP
