Emmeline Pankhurst addressing crowds at Trafalgar Square 1908

Emmeline Pankhurst addressing crowds at Trafalgar Square. Traditionally used by all political and campaigning groups for rallies and demonstrations, Trafalgar Square is one of the few open public spaces in central London large enough to hold a crowd. Here Emmeline Pankhurst addresses a crowd of predominantly male onlookers. Many of these men would have simply have been passing through the Square but drawn towards the sight of a slight middle aged woman on a political platform. The image reflects the role played by the suffragettes in challenging the male dominated society in which they lived.