Votes for Women Suffragette Hunger Strike Medal + Velvet Box Pankhurst WSPU

Description: You are bidding on a very rare replica of the Medal for Valour/Hunger Strike Medal/Suffragette Medal which was awarded to the British suffragettes (members of the Women’s Social & Political Union (WSPU) founded by Emmeline Pankhurst). The colors of the drape on this medal are Purple, White and Green. This medal is made for Lady Constance Lytton and includes her alias "Jane Warton" (further information below). Also available in a separate listing is a Hunger Strike Medal with drape of yellow, purple, gold, made for American Alice Paul who labored for women's suffrage and equality. This medal comes in a gorgeous velvet box lined foil stamped with the original language used in the presentation box awarded by the WSPU: "“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” (see photos). *If this medal is not within your budget, consider the option of a luxurious dark purple velvet pouch, available in a separate listing. A beautiful keepsake and gift for the enthusiast of women’s suffrage/human rights/the history of peace and justice. This is an elegant educational tool that can be worn and/or displayed. A small number of these medals were made in 2021.This reproduction, unavailable in any store as it was made for an educational Foundation for fundraising purposes, is of superior quality and includes numerous historical details keyed to an actual historical personality: Lady Constance Lytton. The details add to the uniqueness and value of this item. About this medal:This medal, made in 2021,commemorates the valour of Lady Constance Lytton (1869-1923). Lady Constance Lytton endured the hunger strike, but was spared forcible feeding because of her elevated social status. Lytton was outraged at the economic discrimination (the poorer, “more common” suffragettes were forcibly fed, but society women were often spared). In 1910, in order to stand in solidarity with her sisters, Lady Lytton disguised herself as a common seamstress named “Jane Warton”. Indeed, as Jane Warton, Lady Lytton was forcibly fed on several occasions. Lytton took her story to the papers thus exposing the injustice of the British Government. Constance Lytton did in fact receive a Hunger Strike Medal. The medal is now held by The Museum of London. Our 2021 medal, up for auction, differs from this medal in several ways: 1) It includes the name "Jane Warton" as well as the dates of Constance Lytton; 2) it includes more than one colored bar; 3) it includes the dates of some of Lady Lytton's forcible feeding; and 4) it includes the WSPU slogan "Deeds not Words." A medal for U.S. Suffragist Alice Paul, who was trained by worked for the WSPU is available on a separate listing. These medals were made to help raise funds for educational programming connected to the peace and suffrage movements. Your purchase of a medal will help support activities in 2023 that are part of the Forward Into Light Initiative of The Cora di Brazzà Foundation. Design & Details of this medalThis medal measures 5.5 inches long and 2 inches wide. The grosgrain drape on the 2021 medal depicts the colors of the WSPU (green, white, purple). The silver bars have the dates October 9, 1909 and January 14, 1910. On October 9, 1909 Lady Constance was arrested for throwing a stone at a car believed to be carrying Lloyd George. She went on a hunger strike but was not forcibly fed. On January 14, 1910, dressed as commoner “Jane Warton”, Lady Constance was arrested for protesting at Walton Goal, Liverpool, where suffragettes were being forcibly fed. She was forcibly fed several times in 1910. The colored bars denote some of these occasions. Engraved on the reverse of the colored bars are the dates of some of these forcible feedings: “FED BY FORCE 18/1/910”and “FED BY FORCE 21.1.1910”" Inscribed on one side of the coin are the words “Hunger Strike”; The reverse contains names Jane Warton at top and Constance Lytton(1869-1923) at bottom and the motto of the WSPU “DEEDS NOT WORDS”. What was the Medal for Valour/Hunger Strike Medal?The Hunger Strike Medal was Issued by the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) from 1909-1914 to women who endured hunger and hardship as part of their agitation during the “Votes for Women” campaign in the UK. A medal was awarded to the hunger striker. The silver bars denote either the date of arrest or the date of the hunger strike. The colored bars denote forcible feeding. Not every suffragette was forcibly fed. Those who did would get a medal with colored bars. Thus, a medal with many colored bars denoted multiple episodes of forcible feeding. The WSPU presented the medal in a box with an incscription (embossed in satin) that read: “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”. These medals, now over 100 years old, sell for tens of thousands of dollars at auction.

Price: 159.99 USD

Location: Mount Pleasant, Michigan

End Time: 2024-12-02T19:28:12.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD