Malicious Mischief? Women’s Suffrage in Scotland

The Prison Commissioners report that Ellison Gibb and Fanny Parker are being treated as civil prisoners serving a 3 day sentence. They declined their privilege of receiving special food and refused prison food, undertaking a hunger strike during their sentence which was ‘fortunately short so that it was not necessary to feed them.’

Correspondence between the Governor of Dundee Prison and the Prison Commissioners, 1^st - 8^th November 1912. Ellison Gibb and Fanny Parker request to be treated as civil prisoners. Commissioners approve on condition of good behaviour. Upon arrival they were ‘excited and noisey and demurred at being searched… both were very anxious to get an opportunity to do some mischief and cause as much trouble as possible in order to give them something to talk about when they got outside. Since then however they have been quiet but continue in persisting in refusing to take any food.’ p1

Correspondence between the Governor of Dundee Prison and the Prison Commissioners, 1^st - 8^th November 1912. Ellison Gibb and Fanny Parker request to be treated as civil prisoners. Commissioners approve on condition of good behaviour. Upon arrival they were ‘excited and noisey and demurred at being searched… both were very anxious to get an opportunity to do some mischief and cause as much trouble as possible in order to give them something to talk about when they got outside. Since then however they have been quiet but continue in persisting in refusing to take any food.’ p2

Correspondence between the Governor of Dundee Prison and the Prison Commissioners, 1^st - 8^th November 1912. Ellison Gibb and Fanny Parker request to be treated as civil prisoners. Commissioners approve on condition of good behaviour. Upon arrival they were ‘excited and noisey and demurred at being searched… both were very anxious to get an opportunity to do some mischief and cause as much trouble as possible in order to give them something to talk about when they got outside. Since then however they have been quiet but continue in persisting in refusing to take any food.’ p3

Newspaper clipping, ‘Evening Telegraph and Post, Wednesday October 30, 1912.’ Headline reads ‘Suffragette Outrage in Dundee. Windows of Savings Bank and Inland Revenue Office Smashed, And Dundee Merchant Offers to Provide Bail for Arrested Women.’ Includes a photograph of Ellison Gibb and Fanny Parker.

Newspaper clipping from the ‘Dundee Evening Telegraph and Post. Friday 1^st November 1912.’ Headline reads ‘Suffragettes Caught Red-Handed. Window Smashing in Dundee. Refuse to Pay Fine and Go to Prison.’

Handwritten note stating the Secretary for Scotland approves of suffragette prisoners Ellison Gibb and Fanny Parker being treated as civil prisoners.