Mary Phillips

Mary Elizabeth Phillips (15 July 1880 – 21 June 1969) was an English suffragette, feminist and socialist. She was the longest prison serving suffragette. She worked for Christabel Pankhurst but was sacked; she then worked for Sylvia Pankhurst as Mary Pederson or Mary Paterson. In later life she supported women's and children's organisations.

Early life Mary Elizabeth Phillips was born in St. Mary Bourne, Hampshire, the daughter of William Fleming Phillips and Louisa Elizabeth (Simms) Phillips. Her father was a doctor who worked in Glasgow. Phillips assisted Helen Fraser with campaigns for the movement in East Fife.

Her next WSPU campaign was in the West of England organising visit plans with Annie Kenney, Elsie Howey, Gladice Keevil, Clara Codd and later was on the platform, speaking in Plymouth in November 1908 with Annie Kenney and Mary Blathwayt. resulting in a further arrest and 3-month sentence, making Phillips the longest serving suffragette prisoner. A postcard picture of a suffragette being arrested by police is said to be of Phillips.

When Phillips was released from prison she was welcomed by Flora Drummond, bagpipes and other suffragettes who posed in tartan

Phillips was invited to Mary Blathwayt's home at Batheaston where the leading suffragettes met and recovered. It was known as the "Suffragette's Rest". Significant visitors were asked to plant a tree (in Phiilips case a Picea Pungens Glauca) Phillips had been given a Hunger Strike Medal 'for Valour' by WSPU.

In November 1909, Phillips wrote to Christabel Pankhurst asking to be relieved of a militant role, which was fully supported and she had no further trouble for the next three years.

In 1910 Phillips was sent as WSPU organiser for Bradford, and when the 1911 census was enumerated she evaded the count and wrote: "NO VOTE NO CENSUS. Posterity will know how to judge the Government if it persists in bringing about the falsification of national statistics instead of acting on its own principles and making itself truly representational of the people" on the form for the WSPU’s office.

Mrs Pankhurst later wrote to her seeking her help to ensure that the women's group in Bradford did not express sympathy for the loss of Pankhurst's 20-year-old son Harry, who had died of polio, by saying "I want to get through my work, and I know you will all help me do it."

She now went under the name of Mary Pederson

Death Mary Phillips died in a hotel in Hove in Sussex in 1969.