Emily Davison Doc with Clare Balding

[Youcanringmybell]

Did anyone here watch it? I just got around to watching it this afternoon and found it interesting and upsetting.

I was aware of most of the information about force feeding etc but I did not know the story behind Emily Davison's death.

The findings at the end of the documentary were that Emily was trying to tie a 'Vote's for Women scarf' around the King's Horse and that she did not intend to die.
I think this is the case also. However, I do think that she fully expected to die in doing so.

What do you think about the theory? Or do you think it was suicide? Or a horrible piece of raising awareness gone tragically wrong?

I don't think it was a suicide because as far as I know she had bought a return train ticket.

That is true Jake - but int he documentary a woman said that on the day of the race you could only purchase RETURN tickets.

Very poignant. A great documentary though , it took you from the militancy of the Suffragettes to the brutal treatment in prison and subsequent despair and anger, and final irony. I would have liked to see more analysis of the footage itself and contemporary accounts.

I watched it and found it v interesting. It appeared to be her not realising just how fast a moving horse goes, and how much force it carries. I think she was trying to make a point, not necessarily to die. Only diary or letter evidence would prove it either way though.

The historian said she thought it was likely you could only buy returns, it sounded like an assumption. I'm not saying she's not right, just that she didn't show proof. I thought it was interesting overall, I knew most of it but the film footage was new to me. Clare Balding had extra insight in that she was looking at the horse's behaviour.

Oh yes Mcnorton - very interesting how Clare managed to spot how the horse may have been trying to jump her.

The enhanced footage was harrowing to see.

After watching that, I would say that she was trying to attach the colours to the horse?..who knows if she intended to die or not ? I'd guess she didn't because when they showed the footage, it was clear that she had a mission, and didn't look as though she "threw" herself under the horse at all.

I thought it was really interesting. ALso great to see a docu with almost 100% female experts!

She may not have set out to die but think she was willing to risk it.

I agree LIZS

Yes that is what I think Lizs - that she didn't want to die but she must have known that it was a real possibility. What a shame it ended as it did and she didn't get chance to attach the scarf.

I saw it, very interesting, she didnt look as though she was committing suicide, her hands looked as though she was raising them as the horse was approaching. Another thought was she must have suffered so much, in prison, in society for being a suffragette, she had been through so much so her rational thought as such might have been somewhat skewered hence thinking that she would be able to tie or pass the scarf on.

I thought it was very good. It looked to me too as though she was trying to attach something to the horse which is something I've not hear before. I thought it was interesting how much she was talked about in racing circles an that the Jockey Club had wante to buy the scarf. That would never have crossed my mind either.

Sorry for spelling mistakes in above post. I have to press d really hard to get it to work. Obviously I've missed it a few times!

I can't see how anyone would think that they would be able to pin anything to a galloping horse.

Me neither. But I have been very sad this evening a replayed the clip so many times and she is clearly holding up the scarf to the horse and it looks as if she moves round to the side of the horse to pin it on but of course, the horse is moving so fast it catches her and she goes flying.

It is so frustrating that we will never know. I know I should have better things to think about...I just really wanted to understand. I wish more eye witness accounts were available. It seems she told no-one of her plans.

I thought it was a really interesting documentary. And, as bigkids said, so lovely to see so many female experts.

I had always thought she'd meant to die, but now I think she meant to live, which makes her sacrifice even sadder.

I watched this too. A really interesting documentary about an event that ended so tragically.
Also pleased to see so many female experts too. But good on Tony Benn for putting the commemorative plaque and photo of Emily in that broom cupboard at the House of Commons.
I found it eerie watching the restored footage of events at the Derby. And it felt so sad. I admire the suffragettes for the strength and determination they showed.
And come on BBC. How about releasing Shoulder to Shoulder on DVD to coincide with the 100th anniversary of this important event.

Moomindparehippos .....it just goes to show what desperate measures she felt it necessary to go to in order to have a voice and be heard.

I did not realise until now that female scriptwriters were ousted in favour of male ones on Shoulder to Shoulder

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoulder_to_Shoulder

Thanks for posting about this - I probably wouldn't have watched this documentary if I hadn't seen your thread, and I found it really interesting.

If she hadn't had dealings with sporting horses during her life, she might have thought that her standing in front of the horse would cause it to slow down or stop, perhaps? I had always believed that she intended fir the king's horse to kill her, but having seen this programme, I now feel that while she may have known there was real danger involved in what she doing, suicide was not the main objective. Intersting, powerful stuff.

Also shocking that some of the documents were only released 10 years ago, and the forced photographs.

Thanks again Youcan

for and interesting fgs, I really should proof read

I really got a lot out of the documentary - well made and interesting.

I do not believe she intended to kill herself,although I believe she wasn't afraid to die for the cause if she needed to.

My DD wanted to watch it,but on vetting it, I realised the scenes of when Emily was actually struck by the horse were way too shocking.

I agree Rosina that it was a real shock to become aware of the forced photos and just how long it had taken to release some of the documents.

It made me feel very humbled to watch this and have it reinforced again just how extraordinary these many many women were and just how much we owe to them.

What moved me most of all was the hate-mail she was sent whilst dying in Epsom Cottage Hospital. So vindictive and hateful.

My DD watched it and has been abit haunted today of the pictures of the suffragettes arrested and one seemed to be grimacing because the policeman had his hands round her neck. I wanted her to watch that documentary as we are going to Derby this Saturday and its a very interesting and important bit of history . When the horses come round that corner you realise no one would survive stepping out in front of them.