The Holloway brooch was presented by the

Women's Social and Political Union The Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was a women-only political movement and leading militant organisation campaigning for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom from 1903 to 1918. Known from 1906 as the suffragettes, its membership an ...

(WPSU) to women who had been imprisoned at

Holloway Prison HM Prison Holloway was a closed category prison for adult women and young offenders in Holloway, London, England, operated by His Majesty's Prison Service. It was the largest women's prison in western Europe, until its closure in 2016. Histor ...

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. 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 A political prisoner is someone imprisoned for their political activity. The political offense is not always the official reason for the prisoner's detention. There is no internationally recognized legal definition of the concept, although nu ...

Holloway brooch

The Holloway brooch was designed by

Sylvia Pankhurst Estelle Sylvia Pankhurst (5 May 1882 – 27 September 1960) was a campaigning English feminist and socialist. Committed to organising working-class women in London's East End, and unwilling in 1914 to enter into a wartime political truce with t ...

. Made of silver, it depicts the portcullis symbol of

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. Th ...

and a

broad arrow A broad arrow, of which a pheon is a variant, is a stylised representation of a metal arrowhead, comprising a tang and two barbs meeting at a point. It is a symbol used traditionally in heraldry, most notably in England, and later by the Britis ...

, associated with prison uniforms, in purple, white, and green enamel. The brooches were given to suffragettes upon their release from Holloway. The size is one inch by of an inch. It was manufactured by Toye & Co London. On 29 April 1909 the first brooches were distributed at a large meeting at the

Albert Hall The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no governm ...

organised by the WSPU. The first brooches were presented by

Christabel Pankhurst Dame Christabel Harriette Pankhurst, (; 22 September 1880 – 13 February 1958) was a British suffragette born in Manchester, England. A co-founder of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), she directed its militant actions from exil ...

and Emmeline Pankhurst,

Annie Kenney Ann "Annie" Kenney (13 September 1879 – 9 July 1953) was an English working-class suffragette and socialist feminist who became a leading figure in the Women's Social and Political Union. She co-founded its first branch in London with Minnie ...

and

Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence, Baroness Pethick-Lawrence (; 21 October 1867 – 11 March 1954) was a British women's rights activist and suffragette. Early life Pethick-Lawrence was born in Bristol as Emmeline Pethick. Her father, Henry Pethick, ...

Recipients

•

Lady Constance Bulwer-Lytton Lady Constance Georgina Bulwer-Lytton (12 February 1869 – 2 May 1923), usually known as Constance Lytton, was an influential British suffragette activist, writer, speaker and campaigner for prison reform, votes for women, and birth control. S ...

Dora Beedham Dora Beedham (née Spong; 3 June 1879 – 1969) was a British nurse from the social activist Spong Family and suffragette who joined the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1908 and was imprisoned and Force-feeding, force-fed. Bi ...

Sarah Benett Sarah Barbara Benett (1850 – 8 February 1924) was a suffragette, a member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and Treasurer of the Women's Freedom League (WFL). She was one of the "Brown Women" who walked from Edinburgh to Lond ...

Violet Ann Bland Violet Ann Bland (17 December 1863 – 21 March 1940) was an English suffragette and hotelier who wrote about her experiences being force fed in prison. Early life and career Bland was born in Bayston Hill, Shropshire, the oldest of nine child ...

Mabel Capper Mabel Henrietta Capper (23 June 1888 – 1 September 1966) was a British suffragette. She gave all her time between 1907 and 1913 to the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) as a 'soldier' in the struggle for women's suffrage. She was imp ...

Joan Cather Joan Cather (1882–1967) was a suffragette, awarded a Hunger Strike Medal, 'For Valour' and a Holloway brooch for imprisonment in the cause of women's rights to vote, and also as protest refused to take part in the 1911 British Census. Life ...

* Leonora Cohen * Louie (Louisa) Cullen *

Emily Davison Emily Wilding Davison (11 October 1872 – 8 June 1913) was an English suffragette who fought for votes for women in Britain in the early twentieth century. A member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and a militant figh ...

* Kate Williams Evans *

Theresa Garnett Theresa Garnett (17 May 1888 – 24 May 1966) was a British suffragette. She was a serial protester who sometimes went by the name 'Annie O'Sullivan', was jailed and then still refused to cooperate. She assaulted Winston Churchill while carryin ...

Clara Giveen Clara Elizabeth Giveen, also known as Betty Giveen, later Mrs Betty Brewster (1887–1967) was a British suffragette. She was known for an arson attack on the grandstand at the Hurst Park Racecourse in 1913, and for her " cat and mouse" impriso ...

* Katie Edith Gliddon * Laura Geraldine Lennox * Anna Lewis *

Selina Martin Selina Martin (21 November 1882 – 1972) was a member of the suffragette movement in the early 20th century. She was arrested several times. Her Hunger Strike Medal given 'for Valour' by the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) was sold at ...

Edith Bessie New Edith Bessie New (17 March 1877 – 2 January 1951) was an English suffragette. She was one of the first two suffragettes to use vandalism as a tactic. She and Mary Leigh were surprised to find their destruction was celebrated and they were pull ...

Annie Seymour Pearson Annie Seymour Pearson (born 1878) was a women's suffrage activist who ran a safe house for suffragettes evading police. Personal life She was married to Arthur, had four children (surviving children were Elsa, Francis and Roland), and lived in ...

Pleasance Pendred Pleasance Pendred (15 July 1864 – 29 September 1948) was a British campaigner for women's rights, an activist and suffragette who during her imprisonment in Holloway Prison went on hunger strike as a consequence of which she was force-fed. ...

* Grace Roe * Amy Sanderson * Janie Terrero * Minnie Turner File:Edith New by Peter McNairn of Hawick who died in 1923.jpg,

Edith New Edith Bessie New (17 March 1877 – 2 January 1951) was an English suffragette. She was one of the first two suffragettes to use vandalism as a tactic. She and Mary Leigh were surprised to find their destruction was celebrated and they were pu ...

(1908) File:Louie Cullen Holloway (cropped).jpg,

Louie Cullen Louie Cullen (1876 – 24 July 1960) was a British suffragette and hunger striker who emigrated to Australia to continue her feminist activism. She was imprisoned for her activist work, and was awarded a Holloway brooch. Life Born Louisa Clar ...

(1908) File:Theresa Garnett par Linley Blathwayt.jpg,

(1909) File:Minnie Turner 1909.jpg, Minnie Turner (1909) File:Janie Terrero Holloway c1912.jpg, Janie Terrero (1912) File:Suffragette Mabel Capper Bow Street arrest 1912 (cropped).jpg,

(1912) File:Emily Wilding Davison.jpg,

(1913) File:Clara Elizabeth Giveen 1914.jpg,

(1914) File:Miss Grace Roe - Daily Mirror (cropped) (cropped).jpg, Grace Roe (1914) File:Sarah Benett 1909.png, Sarah Bennet (1909) File:Kate Williams Evans c1890.jpg, Kate Williams Evans (c1890) File:Sanderson, Amy1907 (23070257666).jpg, Amy Sanderson (1907) File:Minnie Turner 1909.jpg, Minnie Turner (1909)

References

{{Authority control Brooches Feminism and the arts Women's Social and Political Union Penal system in England 1909 establishments in England Imprisonment and detention of women Awards established in 1909 English awards

Background

Holloway brooch

Recipients

See also

References