Folk Music - Historic Event - English - Female Emancipation

Derby Day by Maz O'Connor
The black and white images along with the sound of Maz O'Connor voice and haunting melody paint a vivid picture of the events of 'Derby Day.'
On the 8th of June 1913, a woman stepped out onto a race course at the Epsom Derby.  Sadly, she was knocked over by the horse and killed.  The woman's name was Emily Davison - She was a suffragette.

Emily Davison was a 40 year old woman who protested militantly for the emancipation of women, she was jailed on 9 occasions and force fed 49 times. 

On the fateful day Emily had bought a return train ticket and a ticket for a dance in the evening.  There is some debate surrounding her death.  Some argue that Emily committed suicide to become a martyr to the cause whilst, others argue she was trying to cause disruption the race to highlight her fight.   

Read more about Emily Davison here. 
Probing Questions
Listen to the song, ask children to watch the film and listen to the lyrics - what do they think it is about?

Play it again whilst pausing and asking the following questions. 
  • Pause at the end of line 4 - Who is telling the story? Is it a boy or girl? Old or young? how do we know? 
  • At the end of line 10 ask - where is the boy sitting?  Why has his father sat him on his shoulders?
  • Pause at the end of line 20. What time of year do you think it is? Why?
  • Where are they?  What are they watching?
  • Pause after line 22 - What has happened?  Make predictions. 
  • After line 30. Ask the children what has happened?  Do we know more details now?
  • After line 35.  is it something bad that has happened?  How do we know that it is quite back?

Children may need more advanced knowledge to answer the following:
  • What is the symbolism of the purple, green and white? Colours of the movement
  • Was it the horses coloured this way? 
  • What do we think the medals are for? 9 medals. The 9 times she was jailed for the cause. 
  • What does she mean by 'Let me live, or let me die' why does she think she is not really living?  If she doesn't have the same rights as a man she is not living a full life. 
The Lyrics
I tugged my father's coat sleeve And said "I cannot see the track"
So he picked me up and swung me round
And hung me from his back "Settle down, son, settle down They're starting any minute now
When you see them coming round the bend
You can wave and scream and shout.
And there's always troublemakers here, But I'll keep you safe and sound
There's no harm can befall you here
Two yards from off the ground.    [10]

What a fine and sunny day it was
The best I'd ever seen
And what a view I had up there
Of beggars, kings and queens
And how I felt so tall and grand  [15]
And how I held on tight
Those horses thundering round the bend flashed purple, green and white.
Or was it something new that grew,
And burst on to the track?        [20]
I felt my father's shoulders flinch,
He threw me from his back.   

I thought I heard somebody cry
"Let me live, or let me die!"
I thought I heard somebody say,     [25]
"I shall be free on Derby Day
I shall be free on Derby Day"

They said that she was coming round
They said she'd be all right
Lord, won't you bless all those         [30]
That had to look on such a sight
Lord, won't you bless my ears
Lord, won't you bless my eyes
Lord, won't you bless all those    [35]
That had to look on such a sight     
Dressed in white like a faded bride
Nine medals on her chest
Blazing there like battle wounds
Pinned on to her dress              [45]
​
I thought I heard somebody cry      
"Let me live, or let me die!"
I thought I heard somebody say,

"I shall be free on Derby Day
I shall be free on Derby Day"       [50]
Writing opportunities
  • Rewrite the episode as a recount.
  • Write the narrative as a news report.
  • Write a description of what it felt like being on your father's shoulders.  As if you are really high - like being on the back of a giant.  Use similes for description.
  • Whilst on father's back describe the crowd scene using prepositional phrases. 
  • Give the children characters to portray, children who saw it from their father's back, the king whose horse was injured, some one who heard about the event but didn't see it etc.  Would a rich gentleman's point of view be different to a fellow Suffragette? 
History Links
  • Compare the lyrics with newspaper reports of the day are the lyrics accurate? 
  • Research Emily Davison and make a judgement whether or not you think she committed suicide. 
  • Research the Suffragettes and create explanation texts about the movement, its members and society at the time. 
Other Opportunities
  • Discuss 'Freedom' and what it means to the children.  
  • Link to other famous emancipation campaigners such as William Wilberforce, Martin Luther King Jnr, Nelson Mandela, Abraham Lincoln etc
  • Organise class votes on subjects close to the childrens' hearts but perhaps deny the girls/boys the right to vote. Would it change the outcome?
  • Discuss why 'emancipation' was so important to these women.