A bomb at Smeaton's Tower

Many people won't know about the bomb that was planted in Smeaton's Tower, back in 1913. The story was carried in newspapers up and down the country but the tale has since long been forgotten.

On Monday 21st April 1913, the Dundee Courier carried the following story under the headline 'Bomb is Placed in Lighthouse.' It read:
'A suffragette bomb was placed in Smeaton Tower on Plymouth Hoe and a serious explosion would have occurred if the fuse had not burnt out.
While passing the tower, a man named William Chubb, found in the porch a circular canister, six inches long, containing half a pound of powder. In the cover was a wick saturated with paraffin oil which had evidently been lighted but had been blown out by the wind. Painted in crude letters in black paint on the tin were the words - 'Votes for Women!' 'Death in Ten Minutes!''

The Western Times reported that the canister was handed over to the police who were 'endeavouring to trace the culprits.'

Suffragette bombs had been placed all over the country but the newspapers failed to report if anyone was ever caught for planting the bomb in Smeaton's Tower.
The photo, kindly sent to me by Chris Robinson, shows William Chubb with the redundant canister.