"Mary Maloney" redirects here. For the fictional character, see Lamb to the Slaughter.
Horatia Dorothy MoloneyLancaster (29 September 1878 - 1 December 1921)[1] (variously known as Dorothy,Mary, Dolly,Miss Maloney and Miss Molony, Moloney and O'Connor) was an Irish suffragette campaigner and member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). She became Organiser to the London Council of the Women's Freedom League in 1908, following its split from the WSPU.[2] She famously disrupted the 1908 Dundee by-election by ringing a bell every time Winston Churchill attempted to address a crowd demanding that he apologize for insulting remarks he had made about the women's suffrage movement.[3]
Moloney was born Horatia O'Connor to Edward O'Connor and Henrica Croasdella Moloney in Sandycove, County Dublin on 29 September 1878.[4] The family later moved to Bray, County Wicklow.[5] She moved to London and married Egbert T. Lancaster in 1911.
1908 Dundee by-electionEdit
Dundee experienced a comparatively high amount of suffrage activity in 1908 due to the then prime minister, H.H. Asquith holding the seat for the neighbouring constituency of East Fife and Winston Churchill standing as Liberal MP in Dundee in the 1908 by-election.[6]
The Women's Social and Political Union were active in the campaign with Mary Gawthorpe, Emmeline Pankhurst and Christabel Pankhurst holding meetings in Dundee. However, they were upstaged by the non-violent Women's Freedom League member Dorothy Malony who came up from London for the campaign. Whenever Churchill spoke, Moloney produced and rang a hand bell which drowned out what he was saying. The ding-dong exchanges were taken in fun initially, but some meetings had to be cancelled because of the uproar.[7]The Irish Times newspaper published an account of the by-election on 5 May 1908 that supported claims that Moloney had followed Churchill around for a week.[3][8]
"[Maloney] complained of a passage in a speech which the latter delivered on Saturday last, and in which, alluding to the women’s suffrage movement, he said – “I have seen with some regret some most earnest advocates of the cause allying themselves with the forces of drink and reaction. They were carried shoulder-high, I am informed, by the rowdy elements, which are always to be found at a public house-made manifestation.”… Amid great laughter Miss Maloney retorted that if any man attempted to lift her in his arms she would have boxed his ears…
"At the time appointed for him to address the meeting (and when there were about 500 or 600 present), Mr. Churchill drove up in his motor car only to find that the gathering was in full possession of the ladies... who had the sympathy of a goodly majority of the crowd... Mr. Churchill re-entered the vehicle and was about to speak from it when the Suffragette carriage came up, a lady inside loudly ringing a bell. The carriage drew close up to the motor, the bell clanging all the time, and creating so much din...
"The lady said to be Miss Maloney shook her fist at the right hon. gentleman, and exclaimed in a loud voice, “Who is the strongest — an Irish woman or Mr. Winston Churchill?”
While in Scotland, Moloney addressed WFL groups in Dundee and Aberdeenshire.[9][10] Her by-election protest was widely reported in the press. A bell ringing contest in Aberdeenshire later that year was reported on with the headline "Miss Maloney Overshadowed" and an illustration featuring her.[11]
Subsequent activityEdit
At a WFL protest in the House of Commons in October 1908, "Miss Maloney of 'bell' fame" led a group of four protesters to climb the Coeur de Lion statue. She was subsequently arrested, but her fine of £5 was paid by a friend "much to her chagrin".[12]
Death and legacyEdit
Moloney died shortly after giving birth to a son at her home in Richmond, London in 1921. Her obituary appeared in The Vote newspaper: "all the old members of the Women's Freedom League were deeply grieved to hear of the death, after a short illness, of our old comrade, Dolly Malony, the bright and bonny and resourceful little Irish girl, who rang the bell at Mr. Churchill's historic Dundee election, when the women decided he should not be allowed to speak".[1]
She appears on the Roll of Honour of Suffragette Prisoners as Miss Maloney.[13] The moniker "La Belle Maloney", a reference to her bell ringing exploits, was reported by Sylvia Pankhurst.[14]
A song has been written about her bell-ringing exploits by Glasgow singer/songwriter Lainey Dempsey.[15]
ReferencesEdit
^ ab"In Memoriam". The Vote. 9 December 1921.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^"London Council". Women's Franchise. 11 (7): 78. 13 August 1908 – via LSE Digital Library.
^ ab"The Irish Times Newspaper Archive". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
^"Glasthule, Dublin - Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI". registers.nli.ie. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
^"National Archives: Census of Ireland 1901/1911". www.census.nationalarchives.ie. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
^Wright, Valerie. "Suffrage in Dundee: WHS Suffrage Learning Resource launch event, 10 March 2018 – Women's History Scotland". Retrieved 25 September 2020.
^Watson, Norman. (2006). Dundee : a short history. Edinburgh: Black & White Pub. ISBN978-1-84502-115-3. OCLC 70845068.
^LaCapria, Kim (14 November 2019). "Did an Irish Suffragist Follow Winston Churchill for a Week..." Truth or Fiction?. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
^"Suffragettes in Action". Dundee Courier. 29 April 1908. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
^"Large Meeting at the Fish Market". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 14 April 1908. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
^"Miss Maloney Overshadowed". Aberdeen People's Journal. 12 September 1908. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
^"Gaps in the Grille". The Woman Worker. 4 November 1908. p. 582. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
^Lacon, Annie (c. 1950). "Roll of Honour of Suffragette Prisoners 1905-1914". National Archives, LSE Women's Library collection. Retrieved 17 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^Pankhurst, Sylvia E (1911). The suffragette; the history of the women's militant suffrage movement, 1905-1910.
^"Frank Harte Festival Grand Concert 2022 :video c. 3.12.30". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
August 31, 2023
mary, molony, irish, religious, sister, mary, xavier, molony, mary, maloney, redirects, here, fictional, character, lamb, slaughter, horatia, dorothy, moloney, lancaster, september, 1878, december, 1921, variously, known, dorothy, mary, dolly, miss, maloney, m. For the Irish religious sister see Mary Xavier Molony Mary Maloney redirects here For the fictional character see Lamb to the Slaughter Horatia Dorothy Moloney Lancaster 29 September 1878 1 December 1921 1 variously known as Dorothy Mary Dolly Miss Maloney and Miss Molony Moloney and O Connor was an Irish suffragette campaigner and member of the Women s Social and Political Union WSPU She became Organiser to the London Council of the Women s Freedom League in 1908 following its split from the WSPU 2 She famously disrupted the 1908 Dundee by election by ringing a bell every time Winston Churchill attempted to address a crowd demanding that he apologize for insulting remarks he had made about the women s suffrage movement 3 Dorothy MoloneyBorn 1878 09 29 29 September 1878Died1 December 1921 1921 12 01 aged 43 NationalityIrishKnown forSuffragette activism Contents 1 Early life 2 1908 Dundee by election 3 Subsequent activity 4 Death and legacy 5 ReferencesEarly life EditMoloney was born Horatia O Connor to Edward O Connor and Henrica Croasdella Moloney in Sandycove County Dublin on 29 September 1878 4 The family later moved to Bray County Wicklow 5 She moved to London and married Egbert T Lancaster in 1911 1908 Dundee by election EditDundee experienced a comparatively high amount of suffrage activity in 1908 due to the then prime minister H H Asquith holding the seat for the neighbouring constituency of East Fife and Winston Churchill standing as Liberal MP in Dundee in the 1908 by election 6 The Women s Social and Political Union were active in the campaign with Mary Gawthorpe Emmeline Pankhurst and Christabel Pankhurst holding meetings in Dundee However they were upstaged by the non violent Women s Freedom League member Dorothy Malony who came up from London for the campaign Whenever Churchill spoke Moloney produced and rang a hand bell which drowned out what he was saying The ding dong exchanges were taken in fun initially but some meetings had to be cancelled because of the uproar 7 The Irish Times newspaper published an account of the by election on 5 May 1908 that supported claims that Moloney had followed Churchill around for a week 3 8 Maloney complained of a passage in a speech which the latter delivered on Saturday last and in which alluding to the women s suffrage movement he said I have seen with some regret some most earnest advocates of the cause allying themselves with the forces of drink and reaction They were carried shoulder high I am informed by the rowdy elements which are always to be found at a public house made manifestation Amid great laughter Miss Maloney retorted that if any man attempted to lift her in his arms she would have boxed his ears At the time appointed for him to address the meeting and when there were about 500 or 600 present Mr Churchill drove up in his motor car only to find that the gathering was in full possession of the ladies who had the sympathy of a goodly majority of the crowd Mr Churchill re entered the vehicle and was about to speak from it when the Suffragette carriage came up a lady inside loudly ringing a bell The carriage drew close up to the motor the bell clanging all the time and creating so much din The lady said to be Miss Maloney shook her fist at the right hon gentleman and exclaimed in a loud voice Who is the strongest an Irish woman or Mr Winston Churchill While in Scotland Moloney addressed WFL groups in Dundee and Aberdeenshire 9 10 Her by election protest was widely reported in the press A bell ringing contest in Aberdeenshire later that year was reported on with the headline Miss Maloney Overshadowed and an illustration featuring her 11 Subsequent activity EditAt a WFL protest in the House of Commons in October 1908 Miss Maloney of bell fame led a group of four protesters to climb the Coeur de Lion statue She was subsequently arrested but her fine of 5 was paid by a friend much to her chagrin 12 Death and legacy EditMoloney died shortly after giving birth to a son at her home in Richmond London in 1921 Her obituary appeared in The Vote newspaper all the old members of the Women s Freedom League were deeply grieved to hear of the death after a short illness of our old comrade Dolly Malony the bright and bonny and resourceful little Irish girl who rang the bell at Mr Churchill s historic Dundee election when the women decided he should not be allowed to speak 1 She appears on the Roll of Honour of Suffragette Prisoners as Miss Maloney 13 The moniker La Belle Maloney a reference to her bell ringing exploits was reported by Sylvia Pankhurst 14 A song has been written about her bell ringing exploits by Glasgow singer songwriter Lainey Dempsey 15 References Edit a b In Memoriam The Vote 9 December 1921 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint url status link London Council Women s Franchise 11 7 78 13 August 1908 via LSE Digital Library a b The Irish Times Newspaper Archive The Irish Times Retrieved 25 September 2020 Glasthule Dublin Catholic Parish Registers at the NLI registers nli ie Retrieved 1 August 2022 National Archives Census of Ireland 1901 1911 www census nationalarchives ie Retrieved 1 August 2022 Wright Valerie Suffrage in Dundee WHS Suffrage Learning Resource launch event 10 March 2018 Women s History Scotland Retrieved 25 September 2020 Watson Norman 2006 Dundee a short history Edinburgh Black amp White Pub ISBN 978 1 84502 115 3 OCLC 70845068 LaCapria Kim 14 November 2019 Did an Irish Suffragist Follow Winston Churchill for a Week Truth or Fiction Retrieved 25 September 2020 Suffragettes in Action Dundee Courier 29 April 1908 Retrieved 18 January 2022 Large Meeting at the Fish Market Aberdeen Press and Journal 14 April 1908 Retrieved 18 January 2022 Miss Maloney Overshadowed Aberdeen People s Journal 12 September 1908 Retrieved 18 January 2022 Gaps in the Grille The Woman Worker 4 November 1908 p 582 Retrieved 18 January 2022 Lacon Annie c 1950 Roll of Honour of Suffragette Prisoners 1905 1914 National Archives LSE Women s Library collection Retrieved 17 January 2022 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Pankhurst Sylvia E 1911 The suffragette the history of the women s militant suffrage movement 1905 1910 Frank Harte Festival Grand Concert 2022 video c 3 12 30 www facebook com Retrieved 19 October 2022 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mary Molony amp oldid 1171420594, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
