Suffragettes

https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/suffragette-hilda-burkitt-new-street-15422472

A huge portrait of a woman who lived 100 years ago has been unveiled at Birmingham New St Station. The portrait, by artist Helen Marshall, covers the floor of the station. It is an image of Hilda Burkitt, born in Wolverhampton in 1876, and formed of 3,724 selfies and pictures of women from members of the public.

Hilda was a suffragette, campaigning for women's rights and the right to vote. She was imprisoned at Winson Green Prison in Birmingham and went on hunger strike. She was force fed 292 times.

In 1909 the Prime Minister Herbert Asquith visited Birmingham for a budget meeting and women were not allowed in the building so the suffragettes disrupted the meeting, one woman climbing on the roof. As the Prime left the meeting he was surrounded by suffragettes protesting for women's rights. He boarded a train at Birmingham New St to return to London and as the train left the station, Hilda threw a stone at the train which smashed a window. Hilda was then sent to prison for two months. 

Hilda's picture now rests just metres from where she threw the stone.

What do you see in the picture?
Who do you think the person is?
Where do you think it is and why do you think it has been created?

explain the story

- What were the suffragettes protesting about?
- Why didn't women have equality 100 years ago?
- What is different today?
- What law do we have in Britain that says women and men should be equal? (The Equality Act 2010)
- What other groups of people are mentioned in the Equality Act?
- In 1909 Hilda broke the law, should we be celebrating that?
- Do you think Hilda was right to throw a stone at the train?
- Why did the artist choose to make the image from images of women today?
- How would Hilda feel if she knew 100 years after being labelled a criminal and serving time in prison, she would have her image created in New Street Station?
- What does this show about ideas and society? (they can change)
- What can we learn from Hilda Burkitt?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?

No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the equality act in primary schools by Andrew Moffat

Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain by Andrew Moffat