Sarah Carwin
Sarah Carwin, the daughter of John Carwin (1835-1888) and Jerusha Brown Carwin (1828-1866), was born in Bolton on 16th August 1863. At the time John Carwin was a "Cotton Carder" working in Rochdale. (1)
In 1866 the family moved to Russia where it is believed that John Carwin attempted to start up a business in the textile industry. They returned to England in 1873. At the age of 18 she became a nursery governess in St Petersburg. (2)
After her return in 1885 she joined the Methodist Sisterhood of the West London Mission. As Diane Atkinson has pointed out: "Many of the young women Sarah Carwin worked with were seasonal workers in the garment trade who were sacked when the fashion was over. By 1891 Sarah aged twenty-eight, had started a co-operative dressmaking business in Marylebone to provide such women with regular employment and a steady income." (3)
Carwin enrolled as a trainee nurse at Great Ormond Street children's hospital, and qualified in 1896 and the following year joined with a friend in "a similar, larger, undertaking" . In 1901 she ran a home for a dozen illegitimate babies in Caterham. This was followed by becoming the nurse in charge of the Invalid Children's Special School founded by Mary Humphry Ward at the Passmore Edwards Settlement. (4)
Sarah Carwin and the WSPU
It is believed that Carwin became a feminist and anti-imperialist after reading the work of Olive Schreiner. (5) Carwin joined the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) and in February 1909 was arrested along with Mary Allen, Constance Lytton, Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence and Caroline Watts for taking part in a demonstration outside the House of Commons. (5)
On 29th June, 1909, Sarah Carwin and Ada Wright were arrested for breaking government windows. They were sentenced to a month in prison. While in Holloway they broke every window in their cells as a protest. When they were called before the Prison Board, faced with twenty seated men, Carwin went on the attack: "Give me a chair, why should we stand when all these men are sitting down?" (6) Both women were released after being on hunger strike for six days. (7)
Window-Breaking Campaign
Sarah Carwin was imprisoned several times for window-breaking. (8) Described as a "tall, interesting-looking woman" Emmeline Pankhurst wrote to her that: "Women have reason to be grateful that you and others have the courage to play the soldier's part in the war we are waging in the political freedom of women." (9)
In March 1912 Sarah Carwin was charged with breaking seven windows at 179-183, Regent Street. This included at the jeweller's J. C. Vickery. One of his shop assistants, caught Carwin. In court he said she appealed to a bystander for protection. Carwin said that needed help because the man was acting like a "raging bull". (10) Along with Ada Wright, Olive Wharry and Kitty Marion she was sentenced to six months in Winston Green Prison. (11) Carwin went on hunger-strike and after being forced-fed the "deterioration in her physical condition led to her release". (12) Her biographer, Francis Marbella Unwin, claimed that "she resisted with her utmost strength" and this left her "permanently injured". (13)
Carwin was inactive for the next two years but in May 1914 she was in trouble again: "Following on the suffragist disturbances at Bow Street Police Court on Friday, five defendants appeared before Sir John Dickinson on Saturday. There was an attempt to make another scene, but this succeeded only in part. One of the defendants, Sarah Carwin, kept up a running comment of "That's a lie" during the police evidence, and she told the Magistrate that she had the utmost contempt for anything that happened in that Court. She was ordered to be bound over, and left the dock protesting against this course." (14)
Final Years
On the outbreak of the First World War Carwin left the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). She lived in the country for many years with a woman friend to whom she was "devotedly attached". When her friend died she lived in France and Italy. Francis Marbella Unwin pointed out: "She spared herself nothing in the pursuit of her ideals... a few weeks before her death she said that if she could choose any part of her life to live over again she would choose the part she had devoted to the suffrage. It had seemed the most worthwhile." (15)
Sarah Carwin died in Elham, Kent, on 30th December 1933.
Primary Sources
(1) Leicester Daily Post (26 February, 1909)
The 27 suffragists and a male sympathiser, who were arrested for taking part in the disturbances in Parliament Square on Wednesday night, were brought up at Bow Street Police Court, yesterday on charge of obstructing the police. The defendants were: Lady Constance Bulwer-Lytton (40), Mrs Pethick Lawrence (44), Mrs Watts (27), Mrs Caprina Fahey (25), Mary Allen (29), Mrs Corbett (39), Sarah Carwin (34) Menton Street.
(2) Votes for Women (5 March 1909)
Release of Hunger Strikers – Miss Carwin and Miss Ada Wright two of the suffragist hunger strikers, were released from Holloway Prison yesterday. They feared for just over six days. This makes 600 hunger strikers released.
(3) Votes for Women (2 July 1909)
Miss Sarah Carwin, from Letchworth, is a hospital nurse, whose twenty years of work among young girls and children have shown her how necessary it is that women should have freedom to deal with social conditions. She has already suffered imprisonment for the cause.
(4) Aberdeen Press and Journal (22 July 1909)
Release of Hunger Strikers – Miss Carwin and Miss Ada Wright two of the suffragist hunger strikers, were released from Holloway Prison yesterday. They feared for just over six days. This makes 600 hunger strikers released.
(5) Votes for Women (25 November 1910)
Miss Sarah Carwin is a hospital nurse, and has worked among women and children for twenty years. She has been to prison – twice for the cause, and was one of the first hunger strikers.
(6) The Scotsman (6 March 1912)
Of the five charged at Westminster with window-smashing two were given six weeks hard labour and the other three were committed for trial.
One of those sentenced to six weeks' hard labour was Dr Louisa Garrett, of Harley Street.
At Bow Street in the afternoon suffragist cases remaining over from Friday were resumed. One of the most successful of the night's raiders, Sarah Carwin, who caused £100 damage, was committed for trial. Four others were similarly dealt with.
(7) Votes for Women (8 March 1912)
Miss Sarah Carwin charged with breaking seven windows at 179-183, Regent Street, Mr J. C. Vickery, jeweller, damage £108, and also windows at the premises of the Butterick Publishing Company (£16), the Kodak Company (£20), and the American Shoe Company (£25). She was caught by one of Mr Vickery's assistants, said she was appealed to a bystander for protection. Mr Muskett remarked that the assistant referred to did not look a very different then. He was like a raging bull.
(8) The Exmouth Journal (30 March 1912)
The women were charged with the wanton destruction of private property, value £4,000 on March 1st and March 4th. The following sentences were passed. Six months: Grace Stuart, Ada Wright, Aileen O'Connor Smith, Brita Gurney, Mrs Emily Duval, Evelyn Huddestone, Sarah Carwin, Bertha Ryland, Olive Wharry, Isabella Potbury, Kitty Marion and Jeanette Green.
(9) The Scotsman (25 May 1914)
Following on the suffragist disturbances at Bow Street Police Court on Friday, five defendants appeared before Sir John Dickinson on Saturday. There was an attempt to make another scene, but this succeeded only in part. One of the defendants, Sarah Carwin, kept up a running comment of "That's a lie" during the police evidence, and she told the Magistrate that she had the utmost contempt for anything that happened in that Court. She was ordered to be bound over, and left the dock protesting against this course.
