Annie Kenney

British suffragist

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June 30, 2026

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Annie Kenney was a British suffragist and a key figure in the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). The WSPU, founded in 1903 by Emmeline Pankhurst, was the militant wing of the British woman suffrage movement. Kenney, along with Christabel Pankhurst, was arrested in 1905 for heckling a politician, an event that marked the WSPU's shift to more aggressive tactics. These tactics included large demonstrations, property destruction, and civil disobedience, leading the public to dub the activists "suffragettes". The WSPU's actions, including hunger strikes by imprisoned members, aimed to pressure the government into granting women the right to vote. While women gained suffrage in stages, full voting rights were not achieved until 1928.1

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Emmeline Pankhurst
…its members, Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney, thrown out of a Liberal Party meeting for demanding a statement about votes for women, were arrested in the street for a technical assault on the police and, after refusing to pay fines, were sent to prison.
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…its members, Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney, thrown out of a Liberal Party meeting for demanding a statement about votes for women, were arrested in the street for a technical assault on the police and, after refusing to pay fines, were sent to prison.
Read More