The small group made itself known, but it wasn’t enough in Nellie’s eyes. She wanted everybody’s head to be turned and to acknowledge that the Suffragette movement was now amongst them. As they passed Atkinson’s beautiful display windows, Nellie stopped. She noticed a loose stone among the market setts and bent down to pick it up.

‘This’ll make your mother take note. She’ll know just how serious you are with this.’ Nellie stopped and looked at Jane as she held back her arm, stone in hand ready to be flung.

‘What are you doing? Stop it, you’ll get us arrested,’ Jane yelled, as Nellie lobbed the stone straight through the largest window of Atkinson’s. The crash of glass made everyone stop in their tracks. They all stared at a mannequin as its head came off and rolled down the street. The glass shattered everywhere, and women screamed. Such a disturbance had never been seen before on Skipton High Street.

Sergeant Monks blew his whistle loud and clear, calling for backup from the station on Swadford Street. He made a beeline for Nellie and Jane.

‘That bloody showed them, they’ll know we mean business now, girl! Now, let’s bugger off. How fast can you run?’ Nellie grinned at the group behind her and took to her heels, leaving Jane wondering why she had become involved in such a fracas and having to turn and run herself, along with the other demonstrating women.

‘Votes for women,’ Nellie shouted once more, as she ran down to the turn-off for Broughton Road.

‘Votes for women, my arse!’ a constable shouted after her, knowing Nellie and where she lived. He’d soon catch up with her.

Jane was frantic. She bobbed and tried to hide in the crowd that had now gathered around the scene of Nellie’s crime. She daren’t go into her mother’s firm, but instead watched as her mother came out of the doorway to look at the damage done. Jane quickly took off her sash, which she been wearing had so proudly, and thrust it into her pocket, out of the sight of the gossiping crowds.

‘Now, Miss Fox, I think you may have been party to the crime just committed. You should be more careful who your friends are, or at least hide that auburn hair of yours, if you don’t want to be caught.’ Sergeant Monks put a gentle hand on her shoulder. ‘Now let’s do this quietly, without making a further scene. I’m sure both you and your mother would appreciate it that way. You just go to the station with Constable Stavely here, and I’ll go and talk to your mother.’ Sergeant Monks looked at the young lass he’d know all her life and shook his head. ‘Take her away, Mike. I’ll follow up shortly with her mother. She’ll not give you any bother, will you, Miss Fox?’