Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
In 1910s Britain, women campaigning for the right to vote were beaten, arrested, and assaulted by police.
What’s less well known is that some of them fought back.
This video tells the story of Edith Garrud, a 4-foot-11 martial arts instructor who trained the world’s first all-women protection unit using Japanese jujitsu. These women became known in the press as the “jiu-jitsu suffragettes”.
Trained to break grips, throw larger opponents, and escape arrest, Garrud’s students protected suffrage leaders like Emmeline Pankhurst during some of the most violent moments of the campaign for women’s votes.
This is not a myth, a novelty, or a footnote.
It’s a serious chapter in the history of martial arts, self-defence, and political resistance.
In this video, we explore:
How Edith Garrud learned jujitsu in Edward Barton-Wright’s London scene
Why Sadakazu Uyenishi’s approach to teaching women was radically ahead of its time
How jujitsu was adapted for street defence against police arrests
The formation and actions of the Suffragette Bodyguard
Why this history still matters today
If you’re interested in martial arts history, women’s history, or how physical culture intersects with politics, this story deserves your attention.
In 1910s Britain, women campaigning for the right to vote were beaten, arrested, and assaulted by police.
What’s less well known is that some of them fought back.
This video tells the story of Edith Garrud, a 4-foot-11 martial arts instructor who trained the world’s first all-women protection unit using Japanese jujitsu. These women became known in the press as the “jiu-jitsu suffragettes”.
Trained to break grips, throw larger opponents, and escape arrest, Garrud’s students protected suffrage leaders like Emmeline Pankhurst during some of the most violent moments of the campaign for women’s votes.
This is not a myth, a novelty, or a footnote.
It’s a serious chapter in the history of martial arts, self-defence, and political resistance.
In this video, we explore:
How Edith Garrud learned jujitsu in Edward Barton-Wright’s London scene
Why Sadakazu Uyenishi’s approach to teaching women was radically ahead of its time
How jujitsu was adapted for street defence against police arrests
The formation and actions of the Suffragette Bodyguard
Why this history still matters today
If you’re interested in martial arts history, women’s history, or how physical culture intersects with politics, this story deserves your attention.
