1913 Epsom Derby in front of King George V's horse, Anmer. The horse struck Davison as she tried to grab the horse's reins, the injuries she received proved fatal as she died 4 days later. Davison was a militant suffragette and a member of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), she campaigned throughout her life for votes for women in the United Kingdom. The race was attended by an estimated 500,000 people, including the King and Queen. Aboyeur, ridden by Edwin Piper, took an early lead which he maintained into the straight, where he ran about three horse-widths away from the inside
Emily Davison her landlady also included her as being present at her lodgings. Davison had continually written letters to the press to put forward the WSPU position in a non-violent manner—she had 12 published in "The Manchester Guardian" between 1909 and 1911—and she undertook a campaign between 1911 and 1913 during which she wrote nearly 200 letters to over 50 newspapers. Several of her letters were published, including about 26 in "The Sunday Times" between September 1910 and 1912. Davison developed the new tactic of setting fire to postboxes in December 1911. She was arrested for arson on the postbox outside parliament