4 June 1913 Death of Emily Wilding Davidson.
From "Northumbria on this day" by Chris Kilkenny.
Emily Wilding Davidson, suffragette, was fatally injured at the epsom derby, by stepping out in front of the King's Horse, Anmer. Born in Morpeth, she had had a first in English from Oxford Univeristy and thirteen years of teaching experience, but she could not vote because she was a woman. She had been imprisoned (as were others) for the suffragette cause and had attempted suicide in Holloway prison. She died four days later and was given a large funeral and was returned by train to Newcastle and then to Morpeth where her gravestone, with the epitaph "Deeds not, words" can be seen.
Brought to you by Michael Bell.
(Note that this account says "was fatally injured" not "committed suicide". If you step out in front of a train, you are almost certain to be killed. You are not nearly so certain to die if you step out in front of a horse. She was a publicity seeker - political movements need people like that like - and she probably intended to seize the horse's reins and stop it. And there is a sad little aside, a betting slip was found in her bad. It is hard to believe that somebody thinking of ending it all would lay a bet!)
