Was the Cat and Mouse Act justified?

1. You have 3 mins to think of and write down as many questions as you can about the following picture:

3. Was the Cat and Mouse Act justified?

4. By the end of today's lesson you will: • Know what the Cat and Mouse Act was • Understand why the Cat and Mouse Act was introduced

5. http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/suffragettes/8321.shtml Listen to from 4 mins 15seconds to 13 mins.

6. Was the Cat and Mouse Act justified? L3 In 1909 the WSPU introduced a new weapon in its fight against the government. In July, Marion Dunlop-Wallace was sent to Holloway Prison for stamping slogans on the walls of the Houses of Parliament. In prison she refused to eat and was released within a few days. She was the first Suffragette to go on hunger strike. Her action was something that she had decided to do on her own, and was not part of the tactics of the WSPU. Soon other Suffragettes began copying her, and in September, the government retaliated (fought back). Mary Leigh, who had been sent to prison for throwing slates through the roof where Herbert Asquith (Prime Minister) was speaking in Birmingham, was force fed through a two-metre-long rubber tube. Meat juice and lime juice cordial were dripped into her stomach through her throat Forced feeding became a standard way of treating Suffragettes on hunger strike. Usually a tube was pushed down the throat, but if the person resisted, the tube would be pushed into her stomach though her nose. Hunger strikers were first given a medical inspection by a doctor, to make sure that they were fit enough for this process. But this was often not done very well. The WSPU was able to use forced feeding in its propaganda campaign. It used pictures showing women being force fed on posters, to try to make people feel sympathetic towards the women involved. Many people did not like the thought of women being treated in this was, and even King George V suggested that the government should stop using forced feeding. An account by Constance Lytton who was force-fed in October 1909:Two of the wardresses took hold of my arms, one held my head and one my feet. The doctor leant on my knees as he stooped over my chest to get at my mouth. I shut my mouth and clenched my teeth… The doctor seemed annoyed at my resistance and he broke into a temper as he pried my teeth with the steel implement. The pain was intense and at last I must have given way, for he got the gap between my teeth, when he proceeded to turn it until my jaws were fastened wide apart. Then he put down my throat a tube, which seemed to me much too wide and something like four feet in length. I choked the moment it touched my throat. Then the food was poured in quickly; it made me sick a few seconds after it was down. I was sick all over the doctor and wardresses. As the doctor left he gave me a slap on the cheek. Presently the wardresses left me. Before long I heard the sounds of the forced feeding in the next cell to mine. It was almost more than I could bear, it was Elsie Howley. When the ghastly process was over and all quiet. I tapped on the wall and called out at the top of my voice. 'No Surrender', and then came the answer in Elsie's voice, 'No Surrender'.

7. L3 Forced feeding did not stop members of the WSPU from carrying on their campaign. In fact, the violence got worse. The government tried to find another way of dealing with the Suffragettes. The result was the Prisoners (Temporary Discharge) Bill, known as the ‘Cat and Mouse Act’. This allowed the Home Secretary to release a prisoner who had gone on hunger strike, if their health was suffering. They had to agree to certain conditions, and could be re-arrested when their health had improved if they did not. At first the ‘Cat and Mouse Act’ seemed to solve the problem of the hunger strikers, but Suffragettes soon began pretending to be ill in order to get themselves released. Once out of prison they simply went back to their old ways, and carried on fighting. Emmeline Pankhurst often appeared in public with a nurse, in order to show just how much she had suffered, and had photographs taken of herself and her daughters in prison uniform.

8. Was the Cat and Mouse Act justified? L3 Why did some Suffragettes go on hunger strike when in Prison? How were Suffragettes who were on hunger strike treated? (explain in detail what happened to them) Why do you think the government treated the Suffragettes on hunger strike in the way that it did? (think about what it did not want to happen) Explain in detail what the Cat and Mouse Act was. Why do you think the government brought in the Cat and Mouse Act? What do you think Suffragettes thought about the Cat and Mouse Act? Look at your copy of the cat and mouse act poster. Complete the boxes, and then answer the following questions: Who does the cat represent in the poster? Who does the woman represent in the poster? What do you think the message of the poster is? Why?

9. L3 Why did some Suffragettes go on hunger strike when in Prison? How were Suffragettes who were on hunger strike treated? (explain in detail what happened to them) Why do you think the government treated the Suffragettes on hunger strike in the way that it did? (think about what it did not want to happen) Explain in detail what the Cat and Mouse Act was. Why do you think the government brought in the Cat and Mouse Act? What do you think Suffragettes would have thought about the Cat and Mouse Act?

10. L3 Woman is weak and defenceless because she has been drawn Cat looks very scary. This is shown by and Scarf colours are and So she’s probably a The initials Back this up Background is

11. L3 hwk Notice shows support for Man wearing coat – probably come from Girl is Her shoes are This shows Younger child is And clothes are Showing that Caption is about work by the ‘After a Hard Days Work! Published by the Campaign Committee, National League for Opposing Women Suffrage, Caxton House, Westminster. JOIN’