Holloway brooch explained

Holloway brooch
Country:	United Kingdom

The Holloway brooch was presented by the Women's Social and Political Union (WPSU) to women who had been imprisoned at Holloway Prison for militant suffragette activity. It is also referred to as the "Portcullis badge", the "Holloway Prison brooch" and the "Victoria Cross of the Union".

Background

Beginning in 1902 Holloway Prison was a female-only prison in London, England.^[1] In the early part of the twentieth century many suffragettes were incarcerated at the prison. As their actions became more militant the women received more severe sentences. Once in prison the women continued their protests, eventually going on hunger strikes as they demanded to be designated as "political prisoners".^[2]

Holloway brooch

The Holloway brooch was designed by Sylvia Pankhurst. Made of silver, it depicts the portcullis symbol of Parliament and a broad arrow, associated with prison uniforms, in purple, white, and green enamel.^{[3] [4]} The brooches were given to suffragettes upon their release from Holloway.^[2] The size is one inch by of an inch.^[5] It was manufactured by Toye & Co London.^[6]

On 29 April 1909 the first brooches were distributed at a large meeting at the Albert Hall organised by the WSPU.^{[7] [8]} The first brooches were presented by Christabel Pankhurst and Emmeline Pankhurst, Annie Kenney and Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence.^[9]

Recipients

• Dora Beedham^[10]
• Sarah Benett
• Violet Ann Bland
• Lady Constance Bulwer-Lytton
• Mabel Capper
• Joan Cather^[11]
• Leonora Cohen^[7]
• Louie (Louisa) Cullen^[12]
• Emily Davison
• Kate Williams Evans^[13]
• Theresa Garnett
• Clara Giveen
• Katie Edith Gliddon
• Laura Geraldine Lennox^[14]
• Anna Lewis^[15]
• Selina Martin
• Edith Bessie New
• Annie Seymour Pearson^[16]
• Pleasance Pendred^[17]
• Grace Roe^[7]
• Amy Sanderson^[18]
• Janie Terrero
• Minnie Turner
• Julia Varley

See also

• Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst Memorial
• Hunger Strike Medal
• Suffrage jewellery
• The Suffragette Handkerchief

Notes and References

1. Web site: Holloway Prison closure announced . BBC News . 15 August 2019 . 25 November 2015.
2. News: Davies . Caitlin . The Suffragettes and Holloway prison . Museum of London . 15 August 2019 . en.
3. Book: Garrett . Miranda . Thomas . Zoë . Suffrage and the Arts: Visual Culture, Politics and Enterprise . 2018 . Bloomsbury Publishing . 9781350011830 . en.
4. Web site: Holloway Prison brooch . UK Parliament . 15 August 2019 . en.
5. Web site: Clara Giveen Holloway Brooch . Rowan and Rowan . 16 August 2019 . 11 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190411194507/https://www.rowanandrowan.com/Articles/532873/Rowan_and_Rowan/Historical/Historical_ITEMS/Ref_Clara_Giveen.aspx . dead .
6. Web site: A silver Holloway Prison brooch with enamel suffragette colours . Invaluable.com . 16 August 2019 . en.
7. News: Collecting Suffrage: The WSPU Holloway Brooch . Woman and Her Sphere . 15 August 2019 . en . 19 October 2012.
8. Web site: Our history – Suffragette brooch . Islingtonlife.london . 15 August 2019 . en . 15 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190815211235/https://islingtonlife.london/discover-islington/blog/our-history-suffragette-brooch/ . dead .
9. Web site: From the Archives: The 'Holloway' brooch presented at historic Suffragette meeting, 29 April 1909 . Royalalberthall.com. 15 August 2019.
10. News: 'We owe it to their memory': family stories 100 years since the suffragette movement. 6 February 2018. The Guardian. 4 November 2021.
11. Web site: medal | British Museum. Britishmuseum.org.
12. Web site: Louie Cullen—part two. Nla.gov.au. 15 April 2021. 3 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191103192028/https://www.nla.gov.au/stories/blog/behind-the-scenes/2016/06/24/louie-cullen-part-two. dead.
13. Web site: Rare suffragette's Hunger Strike medal is set to be auctioned. July 13, 2018. Insidecroydon.com.
14. Web site: Who's Your Heroine? Laura Geraldine Lennox . Rte.ie . 24 March 2020 . en . 27 January 2020.
15. Web site: Suffragette Medal for Hunger Strike and for Valour bought for £27,250… | Lawrences Auctioneers. Lawrences.co.uk.
16. Web site: York Civic Trust. 3 June 2020. Suffragettes-STUDENT-V1.pdf. 22–23.
17. Web site: Lot 669, Orders, Decorations and Medals (21 September 2001) | Dix Noonan Webb. Dnw.co.uk.
18. Web site: Collecting Suffrage: Mrs Amy Sanderson, Scottish Speaker For The Women's Freedom League. Womanandhersphere.com. September 18, 2020.