Photograph, surveillance image

From 1913 the Home Office commissioned an undercover photographer to take surveillance images of Suffragette prisoners as they took exercise in the yard of Holloway prison. The images were widely distributed for the purpose of identifying suffragettes most likely to undertake militant action, including damage to artworks in museums and galleries.

Born in Scotland, Margaret travelled to London to undertake militant acts. In March 1914 Margaret or 'May' Gibb was found guilty of striking a constable outside Holloway prison with a dog whip and sentenced to two months in Holloway. In July 1914, using the alias Annie Hunt, Margaret was arrested for slashing John Everett Millias’ portrait of Thomas Carlyle in the National Portrait Gallery with a butcher's cleaver. It is likely this image of Margaret was taken while she was on remand in Holloway prison awaiting trial fhis militant act.
One of Margaret's sisters Ellison Scotland Gibb was also involved in the Suffragette movement and went to prison for the cause.