Members often crossed over, and Gawthorpe describes how she came across at the club Annie Besant's writing as well as theosophical ideas on truth and equality.

[7] The chairman at the meeting started the Welsh National Anthem, but Gawthorpe turned this to her advantage by leading the singing in her rich voice which "won the hearts of the people still more".

She organised an open-air meeting in Uppingham and while standing on a wagon accompanied by several other women, a crowd of "noisy youths began to throw up peppermint 'bull's eyes' and other hard-boiled sweets".

[11] As well as being imprisoned on several occasions for her political activities, Gawthorpe was also badly beaten, suffering serious internal injuries after heckling Winston Churchill in 1909.

[14] Several months later, in November 1907, she was arrested, this time with Dora Marsden and Rona Robinson at Manchester University, due to asking Lord Morley about the imprisoned women at Birmingham.

[16] In February 1912 Gawthorpe broke a window at the Home Office in protest at the imprisonment and brutal treatment of suffragist William Ball.

With Dora Marsden, Gawthorpe was co-editor of the radical periodical The Freewoman: A Weekly Feminist Review, which discussed topics such as women's wage work, housework, motherhood, suffrage movement and literature.

Its notoriety and influence rested on its frank discussions on sexuality, morality and marriage, and urged tolerance for male homosexuality.

Due to poor health and disagreements with Marsden, Gawthorpe resigned from her duties as co-editor; her final publication was dated 7 March 1912.