How the Suffragists Learned Jiu-Jitsu
Edith Garrud, née Williams, met a wrestling and boxing instructor named William Garrud in 1892. They married in 1893, and she began training with him in physical arts. After moving to London, they witnessed a Jiu-Jitsu demonstration by E. W. Baron-Wright, who favored a form of Jiu-Jitsu he’d developed named Baritsu, after his surname. Baron-Wright’s martial art fascinated the Garrud’s, as it allowed a much smaller and physically weaker opponent to gain the upper hand in a physical confrontation using techniques meant to throw the larger person off balance. Edith was only 4’11” in height, so she was especially interested.
The Garrud’s took a class on the art from Baron-Wright and became competent in Bartitsu. Eventually, they became Baritsu instructors themselves and opened a gymnasium dedicated to teaching the art in London. It was at this gym that Edith began instructing suffragists in martial arts, sensing an opportunity to teach women the self-defense so needed for their safety while campaigning.
Garrud became involved with the WFL around the turn of the century by demonstrating self-defense movements and holds to suffragists. She also developed an athletic club for the women of the WFL. In 1908 she became involved with the WSPU and began organizing formal self-defense classes. It was around this time that their demonstrations became increasingly violent, leading Garrud to speak out in Health and Strength Magainze, saying:
“A woman who knows ju-jutsu, even though she may not be physically strong, even though she may not have even an umbrella or parasol, is not helpless. I will show you in a series of pictures how easily she may get the better of an assailant. I know many women personally who have tried the tricks I shall explain to you and come out on top. They have brought great burly cowards nearly twice their size to their feet and made them howl for mercy.”