Who was Emmeline Pankhurst?

"We are here, not because we are law-breakers. We are here in our efforts to become law-makers"

Emmeline Pankhurst

Emmeline Pankhurst was born in 1858. She is seen by British people as "the principal fighter for women's equality in the UK". Until the 20th century women were not given the vote because they were considered to be incapable of rational thought. In bref, their place was in the home.
In her twenties Emmeline belonged to the suffragists, who wanted to achieve equal voting rights for women by peaceful means. Later she led the suffragettes, who had a more militant approach. On 18 December 1879, she married Richard Pankhurst, a barrister known for supporting women's rights to vote. They had five children over the next ten years. He supported her activities outside the home, she founded and became involved with the Women's Franchise League, which advocated suffrage for both married and unmarried women. Suffragette's tactics for attracting attention included smashing shop windows, burning down buildings, slashing paintings in art galleries, organizing marches and chaining themselves to railings.
In 1908-1909 Pankrust was sent to the prison three times. She experienced force-feeding after going on hunger strike.
The British government decided to change the law on voting rights for women in 1918. Ten years later women finally achieved equal voting rights to men. Unfortunately, their attitude was bad perceived:

"These women are hysterical and unreasonable. Heaven help us if they had the vote. They have abandoned their duties as wives and mothers"

On Thursday 14 June 1928 Pankhurst died, at the age of 69. She was interred in Brompton Cemetery in London. News of her death was announced around the country and in North America. Her funeral service on 18 June 1928 was filled with her colleagues and those who had worked beside her in various capacities. "The Daily Mail" described this procession as "like a dead general in the midst of a mourning army".