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On 28th April 1914, the Bath Hotel, Felixstowe, became the third major offence in four days attributed to Militant Suffragettes in the Ipswich area. The blaze, caused by an incendiary device planted in the East Wing, was started at around 4am. |
By 9am, despite the best efforts of the 16 strong Felixstowe Fire Brigade, it had completely destroyed the hotel causing some £30,000 damage. Many labels were found at the scene bearing mottoes such as 'No votes means war!' and 'There can be no peace until women get the vote.'
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On 22nd May 1914, two women, Hilda Burkett (alias Byron) and Florence Tunks, arrived at Felixstowe Town Hall to face charges of "setting fire to the Bath Hotel, two wheatstacks at Bucklesham Farm, and a stover stack at Stratton Hall". They received a hostile reception from the awaiting crowds, hundreds of whom had to remain outside the packed courtroom.
The final trial, presided over by Justice Bailhache, took place on 5th June 1914 at the Suffolk assizes. When asked to plead, Hilda Burkett protested "I don't recognise the judge or any of these men - I object to all these men on the jury." The two were found guilty. Burkett received a 2 year sentence but Tunks only 9 months being "the fool of the other."
They were sent to Holloway prison but a few days later war broke out with Germany and the government seized the opportunity to release Suffragette prisoners. On the 6th February 1918, an act of Parliament gave finally some women the vote, the Bath Hotel being the last major outrage of the Militant Suffragette Campaign.
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