Beschreibung:

An Old Collection of Medals Relating to The Great War A rare and interesting Great War group of seven awarded to Vera “Jacko” Holme, ‘a noisy, explosive young person’ and prominent Suffragette, who served as Mrs. Pankhurst’s Chauffeuse prior to lending gallant service in the Scottish Women’s Hospitals on the Serbian and Russian fronts British War and Victory Medals (V. L. Holme); Scottish Women’s Hospitals 1914-18 Service Medal; Serbia, Order of St. Sava, 2nd type, Fourth Class breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Serbia, Cross of Mercy 1912; Russia, St. George’s Medal for Bravery, Fourth Class, the reverse officially numbered ‘1029044’; Russia, Medal for Zeal, small silver, on St. Stanislaus riband, the fourth with chipped enamel work in places, otherwise generally very fine (7) £2500-3000 Footnote Vera “Jacko” Holme was born in Birkdale, Lancashire, in 1881, the daughter of a timber merchant and, on attaining adulthood, journeyed south to pursue her interests in singing and the violin. Suffragette A member of the chorus of the Doyly Carte Opera Company at the Savoy Theatre by 1908, she also became a member of the Actresses’ Franchise League, one of a number of booming Suffragette movements - fellow founding members including Sybil Thorndike and Lily Langtry. Described by Emmeline Pankhurst as ‘a noisy, explosive young person, frequently rebuked by her elders for lack of dignity’, she was a natural candidate for membership of the more militant Women’s Social and Political Union (W.S.P.U.), and quickly gained attention for her campaign work. In May 1909, she interrupted a speech being made by Augustine Birrell, M.P., and Secretary of State for Ireland, having managed to conceal herself in the chosen venue, with a colleague, Elsie Howey, on the afternoon of the rally - high up on a narrow platform behind the organ pipes. She later recounted events in a musical piece set to the tune of the “Lost Chord”, from which the following lyrics have been taken: ‘Our voices rang out from the twilight, But nowhere could we be found; They looked from floor to ceiling - The stewards came searching round. We asked for votes for women, And that justice should be done; But Birrell he would not answer, And the audience made such fun!’ In August 1909, when a wealthy supporter of the W.S.P.U. purchased Mrs. Pankhurst a motor car, Holme was appointed her chauffeuse, having gained knowledge of such matters while touring the provinces with a theatrical company. And she made a colourful companion, wearing an eye-catching uniform in the Union’s colours of purple, green and white, with a peak cap decorated with the R.A.C’s Badge of Proficiency. But in between such duties, Holme continued to support the W.S.P.U’s campaign of disobedience, and was among 159 women arrested in November 1910, when a deputation to Downing Street smashed the windows of Cabinet Ministers’ homes. But on appearing at Bow Street Court she was charged with obstruction only and, as no evidence was offered by the prosecution, she was discharged. Notwithstanding this early encounter with the Law, her next appearance, at a Caxton Hall gathering, was truly spectacular - for she was charged with delivering a message of defiance to the Prime Minister after his earlier refusal to meet a deputation at Downing Street. Dressed in riding habit and tricolour sash, she rode from the Hall at a canter, but her progress was slowed by a huge crowd, through which nonetheless her horse pushed a passage until she was stopped by the police at St. Stephen’s Church - where she handed over the message for the Prime Minster to mounted Inspector. And she was back in the thick of it in November 1911 when, in opposition to the proposed Manhood Suffrage Bill, she was among the demonstrators to gather opposite Parliament Street. Fierce struggles having broken out, Holme dashed straight at a mounted policeman, seized his horse’s bridle and tried to turn its head against the cordon - she was dragged off by the pol