Margaret McPhun

Margaret Pollock McPhun (1876 – 1960) was a British suffragette from Glasgow who served two months in Holloway Prison in London, and composed a poem about imprisoned activist Janie Allan.

Margaret McPhun
Born8 July 1876
Glasgow
Died1960
NationalityBritish
Other namesMargaret Campbell
EducationUniversity of Glasgow
Known forScottish suffragette
RelativesFrances McPhun

Life

McPhun was born on 8 July 1876[1], her father was a Glasgow councillor who was a timber merchant. She and her sister Frances McPhun joined the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1909 and was the Scottish WSPU press secretary from 1912-1914.[2] They were amongst dozens jailed for smashing government office windows in March, 1912.[3] The sisters had both attended the University of Glasgow, where Margaret had studied psychology and obtained an MA in 1897.[1]

(L - R) Helen Crawfurd, Janet Barrowman, Margaret McPhun, Mrs A.A. Wilson, Frances McPhun, Nancy A. John and Annie Swan.

The sisters used the name "Campbell" to hide their background when they were arrested.[4] When they were released from Holloway Prison after two months they were given Hunger Strike Medals 'for Valour' by the WSPU to record their hunger strikes.[5] Although the sisters had agreed that they would choose to drink from a cup to avoid being force fed through a nasal tube.[4]

Margaret composed a poem about a fellow prisoner named Janie Allan who enjoyed popular support in Scotland.

The poem was titled "To A Fellow Prisoner (Miss Janie Allan)", and it was included in the anthology Holloway Jingles published by the Glasgow branch of the WSPU later that year.[6]

References
  1. "University of Glasgow :: Story :: Biography of Margaret Pollock McPhun". www.universitystory.gla.ac.uk. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  2. Crawford, Elizabeth (1998). The Women's Suffrage Movement: A Reference Guide 1866-1928. p. 404.
  3. ABACUS, Scott Graham -. "TheGlasgowStory: Margaret McPhun". www.theglasgowstory.com. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  4. Findlay, Russell (18 November 2012). "Growing calls for Government to issue official apology to Suffragettes who fought to win vote for women". Retrieved 13 June 2018.
  5. Burrell Collection Photo Library: Margaret McPhun
  6. Norquay (1995), p. 176

Bibliography
  • Norquay, Glenda (1995). Voices and Votes: A Literary Anthology of the Women's Suffrage Campaign. Manchester University Press. ISBN 0-7190-3975-4.
  • Elizabeth Crawford, The Women's Suffrage Movement: A Reference Guide 1866-1928, 1998 ISBN 0415239265
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