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I was very bright at school and was brilliant at university, but I found it difficult to get a good job. All the best jobs were kept for men. It was very unfair. Women were not even allowed to vote in elections to decide who should be in Government. I joined with other women to change things. We wrote letters, went on marches and when people disagreed with us we refused to eat. We also did things like setting fire to post boxes and smashing windows of government buildings for which we went to prison. In 1913, I went to a very important horse race called the Epsom Derby. The King and Queen were watching. I ran out and tried to grab the reins of the King's horse. The horse ran into me and I was killed. I died for my beliefs. I was born in Lowestoft in eastern England. My mother was a singer and she taught me to love music. I wrote my first piece of music when I was five years old and was well known before I was 11. I wrote, conducted and played music all my life. I composed many famous operas that link drama, music and song. I created music for individual instruments, orchestras and ballet. I wrote music to go with films and television programmes. I wrote songs for choirs and singers. Some people remember me best for writing music for children. My 'Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra' is very famous.

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