Norfolk suffragette Caprina Fahey: Success for museum's appeal

Norfolk Museums Service's Andy Bowen with Caprina Fahey's medal, inscribed with the words "for valour"

"Armchair detectives" have helped fill in the missing gaps about the life of a Norfolk suffragette after historians launched an appeal for information.

Caprina Fahey was jailed twice for protesting and did hunger strikes as women campaigned to get the vote.

Norfolk Museums Service appealed in November to unearth more details of her life from 1914 until her death in 1959.

It is now known where Mrs Fahey lived in Norfolk, the dates she was born and died and that she worked as a midwife.

"The response has been fantastic," said the service's Andy Bowen.

"We've had some brilliant armchair detectives who have gone above and beyond to find out as much as they can about this fantastic woman.

"We now know her exact date of birth, 13 September 1883 on the island of Capri, and she was the daughter of Sir Alfred Gilbert - the sculptor of Eros in Piccadilly Circus."

Mrs Fahey moved from Sussex during World War Two to Rose Cottage in Hainford with her second husband Edward Knight, who later gave Norfolk Museums her Women's Social and Political Union bravery medal.

No photos

A certificate from Emmeline Pankhurst, who led the movement to win the women's vote, to Mrs Fahey was retrieved from the late couple's home before it was demolished in the 1970s.

Mr Bowen said the service had wanted to find out more about Mrs Fahey's life as it had nominated her in a project to celebrate the suffragettes' centenary

Despite the success of the appeal, the quest for information still continues, especially as Mrs Fahey had three grandchildren in Sussex.

"We haven't uncovered a photo of her yet... we're still hopeful that we might hear from some relatives who have some pictures," said Mr Bowen.