Coco Khan picks Edith Garrud, the jujitsu fighting suffragette
From Great Lives by BBC Radio 4
May 19, 2026 · 28 min
About this episode
Coco Khan discusses the life of Edith Garrud, a suffragette who taught women martial arts for self-defense.
Writer and podcaster Coco Khan nominates the little-known but formidable Edith Garrud, a woman who turned Edwardian expectations on their head. A pioneer of ‘Suffrajitsu’, she taught women Japanese martial arts so they could defend themselves from arrest. Joining Coco is Dr Naomi Paxton, who brings Edith Garrud to life as a woman who promoted her cause through public performance. The programme was produced by Hannah Hufford.
People in this episode
Host: Coco Khan
Guest: Dr Naomi Paxton
Topics covered
- suffragette
- martial arts
- women's rights
- history
- performance
Keywords
- Edith Garrud
- Suffrajitsu
- Coco Khan
- suffragette
- martial arts
- women's rights
- Dr Naomi Paxton
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