Suffragettes – Emily Davison original contemporaneous memorial leaflet issued after the death of Emily Davison, who was killed after throwing herself under the King’s horse at the Derby on June 4th 1913 – perhaps the most infamous event in the whole history of the fight for women’s suffrage. 8vo 4pp featuring a portrait of Emily to front. In near mint condition. Extremely rare. The leaflet carries a notice for the Memorial Service to be held on June 14th 1913 at St George’s Church, Bloomsbury, listing the clergy involved and the hymns to be sung. The two inside pages carries an essay entitled ‘Why did she stop the King’s Horse ?’ and explaining unequivocally that she did indeed intend to kill herself by throwing herself under the horse: ‘...with her clear and unflinching vision she realised that now, as in days of old, to awake the conscience of the people, a human life would be needed as sacrifice...’ Today there is debate that Emily’s death was more an accident – that she didn’t intend to throw herself under the horse, but her real intention was merely to disrupt the race.