DESCRIPTION:
TONY BENN'S TRIBUTE TO EMILY DAVISON
by Reg Meuross from the album England Green & England Grey www.regmeuross.com

"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 Benn's Tribute to Emily Davison

She slips through the doorway
Away from the crowds down the stairs - she steals through the night
Just 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 cheese
And 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 tyrants
Is 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