Who was Caprina Fahey? Appeal over mystery suffragette

Andy Bown from Norfolk Museums Service and Cllr Alison Thomas Credit: ITV News Anglia

Historians are appealing for help to find out more about the suffragette Caprina Fahey who lived in Norfolk.

She was flung into prison three times, once for breaking the Home Secretary's windows, yet very little is known about her.

Click below for Natalie Gray's report

Next year, it will be 100 years since women won the right to vote and historians would like to tell Caprina Fahey's story in an exhibition at Norwich Castle Museum to coincide with the centenary.

However, historians do not even have a photograph of her.

Caprina Fahey won a medal for valour in 1914 in recognition of hunger and hardship - a reference to her time in prison and the hunger strike she took part in.

Caprina Fahey's medal for valour Credit: ITV News Anglia

Born in Italy in 1883, her father Alfred Gilbert designed the statue of Eros in Picadilly Circus. But Caprina was cut out of his will. She also went under the name of Emily Charlton and that's the name she was arrested under on March 14th 1914.

Andy Bown from Norfolk Museums Service said: "She was involved in basically an incident at the Home Secretary's house whereby she and a lot of other suffragettes turned up with sledgehammers and life preservers and broke a number of the Home Secretary's windows."

She died at Hainford near Buxton in Norfolk in 1959.

Caprina Fahey died at Hainford near Buxton. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Her second husband Edward Knight gave Caprina's medal to Norfolk Records Office in 1959.

Cllr Alison Thomas, Deputy Leader of Norfolk County Council, said: "She certainly fought for women's rights and wasn't afraid to do time in jail and hard labour in order for women's votes to become a reality.

"As a female politician I wouldn't be in the position I am if it wasn't for women like Caprina Fahey.

"She fought to enable us to be on a level playing field and I certainly wouldn't be deputy leader of the County Council if it wasn't for women like her."

If anyone has any further detail about the life of Caprina Fahey, or if they own any items that belonged to her, please get in touch with Andy Bowen. Email andrew.bowen@norfolk.gov.uk or call 01603 493655.

What do we know about Caprina Fahey?

  • She was born in 1883 in Italy and died in 1959 in the Norfolk village of Hainford, near Norwich.

  • Her given first name was Charlotte and she was one of five children.

  • Her father Alfred Gilbert was a sculptor whose work included the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus.

  • Her mother Alice Gilbert was Alfred’s cousin and they eloped to Paris.

  • Alfred filed for bankruptcy in 1901. He and Alice separated but never divorced.

  • Caprina was left out of her father’s will.

  • Caprina married Alfred Edward Fahey and gave birth to Dennis Mountiford Fahey in 1905. Shortly afterwards she sued Alfred for adultery and desertion and she was awarded custody of Dennis.

  • Dennis Fahey died in Brighton, aged 35.

  • Caprina lived at various London addresses.

  • Her second husband was called Edward Knight and they lived in Norfolk.

  • Caprina was buried in Hainford, Norfolk.