467:
481:
228:
289:
97:
398:
22:
121:
of Wood or the assumed name Oldham (presumably because of its similarity to her real surname 'Aldham') when she was arrested. She was among 223 women arrested in
November 1911 for window breaking and was the first defendant to appear at the subsequent trial which was attended by
83:
in 1858 as Mary Ann
Mitchell Wood, the daughter of Mary Ann and Alfred Robert Wood, a Captain; her mother died less than two months after her birth. On 10 October 1883, Mary Ann Wood married Arthur Robert Aldham (1853–1905), a commercial clerk with the
303:
stating "I have tried to destroy a valuable picture because I wish to show the public that they have no security for their property nor for their art treasures until women are given the political freedom". The portrait was valued at £700 and
415:
265:
reported that "About half-past one, when the attendance was thinning for lunch, the crash of glass was heard, and an elderly white-haired woman was seen to be hacking at the
Sargent portrait with a butcher's cleaver." A writer for
116:
in about 1908 Aldham was arrested at least seven times: on 14 October 1908 and 19 November 1908 (as Mary Ann
Mitchell Oldham); 22 November 1911; 7 March 1912; 19 March 1912; 17 November 1913 and 4 May 1914. Aldham often used her
206:
while on remand awaiting trial. On being charged with breaking glass in a screen in the Court Aldham said "I did it." For this action she sentenced to a month in prison with hard labour. Aldham was to be released under the
312:
calculated that the portrait's value had been reduced by between £100 and £300 as a result of the attack. To this Aldham responded, "I quite understand; if a woman had painted it, it would not have been worth so much."
272:
recorded that a visitor "pressed through the crowd, and aimed a blow at her. A man who put his arm in front of her to protect her was mobbed, and his glasses were knocked off and smashed". This man, according to
328:
and sent for treatment in a nursing home. She was released to the care of her now married daughter, Mary Aldham. Her militant actions on behalf of the WSPU ended with the start of
468:
England, Suffragettes
Arrested, 1906-1914 for Mary Ann Mitchell Oldham: HO 45/24665: Suffragettes: Amnesty of August 1914: Index of Women Arrested, 1906-1914 - Ancestry,com
352:
and other items from her time as a suffragette were sold by her family at auction in 2015 realising £23,450. The memorabilia was bought by a private collector in the UK.
482:
England, Suffragettes
Arrested, 1906-1914 for Mary Ann Aldham: HO 45/24665: Suffragettes: Amnesty of August 1914: Index of Women Arrested, 1906-1914 - Ancestry,com
325:
212:
208:
456:
660:
279:, was immediately regarded by the crowd as a suffragette supporter and "was seized, amid cheers and groans, and his silk hat was sent flying". A report in
150:
655:
416:
Surrey, England, Church of
England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1937 for Mary Ann Mitchell Wood: Thornton Heath, St Paul, 1872-1893 - Ancestry.com
650:
603:
587:
665:
527:
386:
300:
113:
49:
457:
Suffragette Medal with original named fitted case awarded to Mary Aldham - Lockdales Coins & Collectables
Auction (2015)
382:
281:
285:
added that "the Woman with the
Butcher's Chopper had startled a fashionable Royal Academy crowd out of its decorum."
219:
prisoners until they had regained their health and could be imprisoned again to serve out the rest of their sentence.
575:
88:
and with him had two daughters: Mary Aldham (1885–1955) and
Gertrude Aldham (1887–1909). Arthur Aldham died in 1905.
370:
259:
by breaking the glass and slashing the canvas three times with a meat cleaver while crying "Votes for Women".
640:
635:
555:
538:
184:
101:
571:
645:
194:
In November 1913 the 55 year-old Aldham was among a group of four suffragettes who protested at the
305:
118:
157:
reminisced about the early days of the WSPU. On 10 June 1912 the three imprisoned grandmothers -
511:
149:
To keep up morale in prison the women were forced to make their own entertainment. Some such as
167:
496:
542:
309:
293:
248:
227:
172:
436:
130:. Aldham refused to pay her fine for which she was sentenced to one month's imprisonment in
630:
625:
123:
399:
1901 England Census for Mary A M Aldham: London, Greenwich, Greenwich West - Ancestry.com
8:
349:
275:
261:
256:
236:
64:
321:
317:
165:
and Aldham sang together. On another occasion some of the women performed a scene from
158:
154:
135:
131:
105:
251:
on 4 May 1914, Aldham attended among the great crowds and attacked the portrait of
127:
85:
288:
21:
96:
619:
528:
The Suffragette Handkerchief at the Priest House, West Hoathly - Sussex Past
240:
216:
203:
191:. Aldham was one of two grandmothers whose names appear on the handkerchief.
188:
143:
139:
134:. Following her two arrests in March 1912 she was sentenced to six months in
60:
56:
268:
180:
329:
252:
232:
45:
26:
498:
Voices and Votes: A Literary Anthology of the Women's Suffrage Campaign
199:
195:
162:
345:
556:'The violence of representation: James, Sargent and the suffragette'
591:
341:
76:
512:'The prison experiences of the suffragettes in Edwardian Britain'
176:
604:"Suffragette memorabilia – separating the fact from the fiction"
292:
A newspaper cutting from 1914 concerning Aldham's attack at the
183:. During her time in Holloway she and her fellow inmates signed
146:; she was released early from prison at the end of June 1912.
80:
44:; 28 September 1858 – 1940) was an English militant
539:'Deeds not words': Suffragettes and the Summer Exhibition
209:
Prisoners (Temporary Discharge for Ill Health) Act 1913
373:, suffragesources.org.uk. Accessed 15 November 2022.
324:
awaiting trial, Aldham was again released under the
501:, Manchester University Press (1995) - Google Books
383:Roll of Honour of Suffragette Prisoners 1905-1914
52:(WSPU) who was imprisoned at least seven times.
617:
437:Votes for Women - Uncover Your Ancestors website
316:Aldham's attack was a response to the arrest of
222:
661:Prisoners and detainees of England and Wales
411:
409:
366:
364:
452:
450:
448:
446:
444:
432:
430:
428:
426:
247:When the Summer Exhibition opened at the
588:Suffragette's medal sold at record price
287:
226:
95:
20:
532:
406:
361:
618:
441:
423:
187:which was subsequently embroidered by
13:
656:Women's Social and Political Union
301:Women’s Social and Political Union
179:and the role of Narissa played by
114:Women's Social and Political Union
63:for which she received the WSPU's
50:Women's Social and Political Union
14:
677:
651:British women's rights activists
215:; this released dangerously ill
202:(aka Rachel Peace) who had been
597:
581:
565:
548:
521:
518:, (1995) 4:1, 103-133- pg. 112]
504:
320:. On again being imprisoned in
666:Hunger Strike Medal recipients
489:
475:
461:
392:
387:The National Archives Database
376:
335:
1:
355:
239:was slashed by Aldham at the
70:
30:
389:. Accessed 15 November 2022.
371:Mrs Mary Ann Mitchell Aldham
185:The Suffragette Handkerchief
102:the Suffragette Handkerchief
16:English militant suffragette
7:
223:Attack at the Royal Academy
91:
10:
682:
576:National Portrait Gallery
151:Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence
138:during which she went on
29:surveillance photograph (
340:Mary Ann Aldham died in
59:in prison where she was
484:(subscription required)
470:(subscription required)
418:(subscription required)
401:(subscription required)
348:in 1940. Her three-bar
308:, the Secretary of the
100:Mary Ann Aldham signed
516:Women's History Review
296:
244:
168:The Merchant of Venice
109:
42:Mary Ann Mitchell Wood
34:
543:Royal Academy of Arts
291:
230:
173:Evaline Hilda Burkitt
161:(aka Jessie Howard),
99:
86:P&O Shipping Line
25:Mary Ann Aldham in a
24:
641:English suffragettes
636:People from Deptford
594:, 14 September 2015.
299:Aldham wrote to the
211:, also known as the
198:during the trial of
153:told stories; later
554:Miranda El-Rayess,
350:Hunger Strike Medal
326:'Cat and Mouse Act'
276:The Daily Telegraph
262:The Daily Telegraph
257:John Singer Sargent
237:John Singer Sargent
213:'Cat and Mouse Act'
65:Hunger Strike Medal
608:Antique Collecting
560:Critical Quarterly
318:Emmeline Pankhurst
297:
245:
243:Exhibition in 1914
159:Gertrude Wilkinson
155:Emmeline Pankhurst
112:After joining the
110:
48:and member of the
35:
646:English feminists
610:, 8 October 2015.
282:The Daily Graphic
231:This portrait of
673:
611:
601:
595:
585:
579:
569:
563:
552:
546:
536:
530:
525:
519:
508:
502:
495:Glenda Norquay,
493:
487:
485:
479:
473:
471:
465:
459:
454:
439:
434:
421:
419:
413:
404:
402:
396:
390:
380:
374:
368:
269:The Daily Sketch
128:Sylvia Pankhurst
75:She was born in
32:
681:
680:
676:
675:
674:
672:
671:
670:
616:
615:
614:
602:
598:
586:
582:
572:Mary Ann Aldham
570:
566:
562:, 14 July 2011.
553:
549:
537:
533:
526:
522:
509:
505:
494:
490:
483:
480:
476:
469:
466:
462:
455:
442:
435:
424:
417:
414:
407:
400:
397:
393:
381:
377:
369:
362:
358:
338:
332:later in 1914.
322:Holloway Prison
306:Sir Walter Lamb
225:
217:hunger striking
136:Holloway Prison
132:Holloway Prison
94:
73:
38:Mary Ann Aldham
17:
12:
11:
5:
679:
669:
668:
663:
658:
653:
648:
643:
638:
633:
628:
613:
612:
596:
580:
564:
547:
545:website (2018)
531:
520:
503:
488:
474:
460:
440:
422:
405:
391:
375:
359:
357:
354:
337:
334:
224:
221:
93:
90:
72:
69:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
678:
667:
664:
662:
659:
657:
654:
652:
649:
647:
644:
642:
639:
637:
634:
632:
629:
627:
624:
623:
621:
609:
605:
600:
593:
589:
584:
577:
573:
568:
561:
557:
551:
544:
540:
535:
529:
524:
517:
513:
510:Jane Purvis,
507:
500:
499:
492:
486:
478:
472:
464:
458:
453:
451:
449:
447:
445:
438:
433:
431:
429:
427:
420:
412:
410:
403:
395:
388:
384:
379:
372:
367:
365:
360:
353:
351:
347:
343:
333:
331:
327:
323:
319:
314:
311:
310:Royal Academy
307:
302:
295:
294:Royal Academy
290:
286:
284:
283:
278:
277:
271:
270:
264:
263:
258:
254:
250:
249:Royal Academy
242:
241:Royal Academy
238:
234:
229:
220:
218:
214:
210:
205:
201:
197:
192:
190:
189:Janie Terrero
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
169:
164:
160:
156:
152:
147:
145:
141:
140:hunger strike
137:
133:
129:
125:
120:
115:
107:
103:
98:
89:
87:
82:
78:
68:
66:
62:
58:
57:hunger strike
53:
51:
47:
43:
39:
28:
23:
19:
607:
599:
583:
567:
559:
550:
534:
523:
515:
506:
497:
491:
477:
463:
394:
378:
339:
315:
298:
280:
274:
267:
260:
246:
193:
181:Doreen Allen
166:
148:
142:but was not
111:
74:
55:She went on
54:
41:
37:
36:
18:
631:1940 deaths
626:1858 births
336:Later years
330:World War I
253:Henry James
233:Henry James
119:maiden name
46:suffragette
27:Home Office
620:Categories
356:References
200:Jane Short
196:Old Bailey
163:Janet Boyd
124:Christabel
71:Early life
346:Middlesex
204:force-fed
144:force-fed
61:force-fed
592:ITV News
578:website.
342:Uxbridge
106:Holloway
92:Activism
77:Deptford
177:Shylock
40:(born
171:with
108:1912.
33:1914)
126:and
81:Kent
574:,
344:in
255:by
235:by
175:as
79:in
622::
606:,
590:-
558:,
541:-
514:,
443:^
425:^
408:^
385:,
363:^
104:,
67:.
31:c.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.