Once the suffragettes were imprisoned for their protests they started a new protest, hunger strikes. This led the liberal government to a decision which is truly shocking, force feedings. It makes me feel sick to my stomach to think what these women went through and what the government of Great Britain did to these women a little over 100 years ago. To make sure no woman died as a result of the force feedings, the government created the "Cat and Mouse" law allowing women out of prison when they were on the brink of death and then arresting them again when they had 'recovered'.
Although this practice never actually killed someone, many of these women went on to have life long illnesses and pains as a result of their force feedings. Marion Wallace Dunlop was the first suffragette to start a hunger strike in 1909. She was sent to Holloway prison for damaging the stonework of the Houses of Commons by painting words and protests on it. After 91 hours of fasting she was released from prison, when the prison doctor had asked her what she was going to eat, she replied "My determination". After this many other suffragettes joined hunger strikes.
On a hunger strike, the women were force fed a liquid mixture of eggs and milk through a tube pushed up through their nose and down into their stomach. Suffragettes suffered broken teeth, bleeding, vomiting and chocking as food poured into their lungs.
In 1913 the government became scared that a death could occur of a hunger strike prisoner so they passed the prisoners (temporary discharge for ill-health) act or as it became known, the cat and mouse act. It allowed women who were extremely ill as a result of the force feedings to be released to get better and then rearrested when they had some strength. Many of the suffragettes then went on the run, staying in safe houses and not returning to prison but returning to their old protest tactics, some even left their cat and mouse licence at the scene of arson attacks.
This is one of the blocks I am particularly proud of. This one felt tricky at the start but actually was easy to construct piece by piece. I also did some 'fussy cutting' on this which I think works particularly well.
First, sew the triangles to create squares, making sure to press all seams afterwards. Then add the green strips to the ends of the squares adding a purple triangle at the end. Sew the white triangles to one of the cross blocks and then sew the strips diagonally together. Finally add a boarder.
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