This original Order of Service from the funeral of Emily Wilding Davison was purchased by the Friends in March 2024.
Davison was famously the Suffragette who was killed after falling under King George V’s horse Anmer at the 1913 Derby. It gives much information on those who attended her funeral, and gives a feel for what a dignified and important occasion it was.
The Order of Service brings a wealth of information that will be available to researchers, and complements the other holdings in giving a wide picture of this famous event.
Davison’s funeral was on 14th June 1913. A procession started at Buckingham Palace Road and processed to King’s Cross, where the coffin was taken to Morpeth by train. Crowds lined the route. Davison was a militant Suffragette and was also famous for hiding overnight in the Palace of Westminster on the night of the 1911 census. She was also imprisoned for her actions, and excerpts from her prison diary can be seen in the LSE Digital Library.
TWL’s holdings already include a notice of the funeral, a ticket of admission to the funeral, a hymn sheet, a Madonna lily that was carried by Agnes Kelly in the procession, and a commemorative napkin with details of Emily’s life on it.