Prisons & Prisoners

by Constance Lytton

Reproduction of the Prisons & Prisoners by Constance Lytton

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Feminism

200 pages, Hardcover

First published September 16, 1976

Reviews

[Anjj]

hard to side with her points of view sometime

[hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - It was really interesting to hear her first-hand accounts of imprisonment and activism within the women's suffrage movement. However, most of it was pretty slow and hard to get through.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Memoir from a British suffragette—her mission for women’s franchise almost led to her death after a heart condition was exacerbated from forcible feeding during a hunger strike in prison. Fascinating account of this aristocrat’s disguise as a working class woman in an effort to expose the abuses of officials toward the poorer prisoners compared to the wealthier women…and a much-needed reminder of what the suffragettes endured in order to bring the vote to women.

[Benedict · Rating 3 out of 5]

Relationship to the truth:
True. There's enough detail in the account, the author either has an excellent memory or kept notes or both (or more). Is there a source of bias? The person was absolutely convinced of what they were doing. It seems a noble cause. However, if you have met someone with a vendetta, it is the only thing that they talk about.

Description:
An account of (numerous) trips to prison, suffered by one of the women fighting for the vote, in Britain around 1910. Sorry, I have read this over a course of several years- and insodoing, lost sight of the timeframe. She gives an account, of her background and childhood- and then charts the years of the campaign.

Reaction:
Honestly, the route I took to get here, started in jeopardy. I was very forward with a young woman. There followed a trajectory, learn respect for women.
When the fright of the initial experience, had died down a bit, I saw how, learn respect for women path... could be the bargaining stage of grief, in the Kubler Ross model/oversimplification of life.
But in another way, it said, if I understood women more, then this sort of thing would not happen. Defences down, make repairs. However , a parlous time.

I found the narrator a little odd, indeed honest, and am sorry the campaign was reduced to violence. I feel marginally less guilty and better informed. There's the book itself. Sorry, I have been reading it for about five years.

The fair? systems I have encountered- a&e gives you a ticket as soon as you arrive, and constructs triage. The post office, too. I cannot see clearly, what fairness is, when it comes to men and women compared. Strong feelings are held, on the subject. Wider questions: Men and women are not so different? Discuss. Calmly. I am sure, a prejudice hides there, within me- with a little sorrow I note this.

Thanks (but d. 2 May 1923)

[Jbondandrews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simply wonderful book about some very courageous women. Constance Lytton and the other women should always be remembered for their sacrifices.