Davison joined the Women's Social and Political Union in 1906, and soon began to take part in their militant and confrontational activities that were designed to win the right to vote for women. She developed a reputation as a particularly violent campaigner and was imprisoned nine times for various illegal activities. During her prison sentences she went on hunger strike, and so was subjected to force-feeding by the prison authorities.
The Epsom Derby is a highlight of the British horseracing calendar, and historians agree that Davison wanted to use the event to draw attention to the women’s suffrage movement. Newsreel footage of the event taken from different angles shows her ducking under the barrier and running onto the track as the horses raced past her.
Davison appeared to try to grab the bridle of one of the last horses – which happened to be King George V’s horse, Anmer – but was violently thrown to the ground by the force of the impact and was trampled by the horse’s hooves. She died four days later from a fractured skull and other internal injuries.
The majority of commentators hold the view that Davison did not intend to martyr herself, but rather wished to attach a ‘Votes For Women’ scarf to the horse as a way to gain publicity for the movement. Various pieces of evidence support this view, including the return portion of a train ticket found in her purse. However, she did not share her plan with anyone so her true intentions will never be known.
