THE PIONEER POLICEWOMAN

Hardback. The author was a British political activist known for her defence of women's rights in the 1910–1920s, and pioneer of the Women Police Movement in Great Britain eventually becoming Commandant of The Women's Auxiliary Service. She repeatedly sought to challenge or modernise the existing systems of the time, ensuring the Women's Police Service could become an auxiliary force after women were admitted into certain British police forces. She stood once for the House of Commons as an Independent Liberal, turning over her Women's Auxiliary Service to breaking the General Strike of 1926. Subsequently, she met and talked with European fascists and anti-communist brigades, entailing frequent trips abroad and publicly joining the British Union of Fascists in 1939. Following the outbreak of the Second World War Allen joined the Women's Voluntary Service but also became a regular speaker at BUF peace rallies. Outrage followed with Daily Herald, Daily Mirror and News Chronicle stories calling for Allen's removal from the WVS, particularly after comments in which she refused to condemn Hitler were published. Due to her close connections to Mosley and Barry Domvile, Special Branch regarded Allen with some suspicion. There were also questions in the House of Commons from the Labour MP Glenvil Hall in June 1940 as to whether Allen's continued nominal presence on the Advisory Council of the Women's Voluntary Service represented a security risk. After a review of her activities and a study of her personality and associates, the government declined to detain her under Defence Regulation 18B. The final report was dismissive, describing her as a "crank...trailing round in a ridiculous uniform". Eventually however she was placed under a lesser form of detention as a precaution, being restricted to within a five-mile radius of her Cornwall home and banned from using cars, bicycles, telephones and the wireless. A controversial figure, but important women's rights activist. In 3 Parts : Part I: The launching of The Movement; Part II: The After-War Period, 1918-1925; Part III: The Future. Illus. + Appendices and Index. 288pp. 8vo. h/back. With previous owner's b/plate to fpd plus neat name insc., head of sp. has been repaired, lightly marked boards, general shelfwear, but still a Nr. Vg. copy of an extremely scarce title.