Richard Marsden Pankhurst (1834 – 5 July 1898) was an English barrister and socialist who was a strong supporter of women's rights. He was married to suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst.

Early life

Richard Pankhurst was the son of Henry Francis Pankhurst (1806–1873) and Margaret Marsden (1803–1879). Pankhurst was born in Stoke but spent most of his life in Manchester and London. He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and Owens College of Manchester. In 1858 he graduated B.A. from the University of London and in 1859 was awarded LL.B. with Honours. In 1863 he graduated LL.D. with gold medal.

Career

He was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in 1867 and joined the Northern Assizes circuit. He was also a member of the Bar of the County Palatine of Lancaster Court.

Following qualification he was a founder member of the Manchester Liberal Association, although he was subsequently to fall out with the Liberals. He campaigned for multiple causes, including free speech, universal free secular education, republicanism, home rule for the Irish, independence for India, nationalisation of land, the disestablishment of the Church of England and the abolition of the House of Lords. He established a National Society for Women's Suffrage, drafted the Women's Disabilities Removal Bill (the first women's suffrage bill in England) and was the original author of the bill which became the Married Women's Property Act 1882 which gave wives absolute control over their property and earnings.

He married Emmeline Goulden, better known as Emmeline Pankhurst, who was some 24 years younger than he was, in 1878. With her, he was instrumental in establishing a branch of the Independent Labour Party..

Pankhurst appears as a character in the 1974 BBC television drama Shoulder to Shoulder. He is played by Michael Gough.

Sayings

  • "Life is nothing without enthusiasms"
  • "Every struggling cause shall be ours"
  • [The House of Lords is] "a public abattoir butchering the liberties of the people"
  • [The clergy of the Church of England are] "a portentious [sic?] beadledom"

References

  • Manchester Faces and Places Vol 4 Page 33 (1893)
  • Burton, S: "Relatively Famous: Richard Pankhurst, The Red Doctor", BBC History Magazine, February 2007, 8:2, page 22.