I don't want to be a princess, I want to be a...

Last week saw the first of three 'Future Perfect? Radical Women' discussions at The Royal Exchange. As part of the Theatre’s 'Truth about Youth' programme (supported by the Co-operative Foundation), young women aged 14-21 have been invited to come and take part in this free mini project debating, discussing and meeting the radical women of today.

In week 1 the girls were considering career choices. They were asked to complete the following statement:'I don't want to be a princess, I want to be a...' From truck drivers to neuroscientists the images below offer an insight into the ambitions of this group of women. Find out more about these events here: http://www.royalexchange.co.uk/event.aspx?id=690 and look out for future posts about the discussions.

 

 

Handbags carry stories: Tell us yours

You may have noticed we have developed a rather strange habit: photographing the inside of women's handbags. Sound silly? Well, perhaps it is. But there's a reason we've gone all nosey.

We're gathering the stories hidden behind the radical objects that the wonderful women of Manchester carry around in their handbags.  From the obscure to the sentimental we like to think that each object paints a picture about the lives of women in Manchester in 2013.

Why do we carry what we do? And what stories lie within these objects?

Throughout the Women Women: Radical Manchester season we will be sneaking a peek into the handbags of women and adding more object pictures to the blog and Twitter feed each week.

Got an object/story to share? We can't wait to hear it. Join in here @wonderwomenmcr #wonderwomenmcr.

'The Pankettes' at The Royal Exchange

Meet 'The Pankettes', the women's choir based at the former home of Emmeline Pankhurst. Now known as The Pankhurst Centre this modest Georgian property on Nelson Street in Manchester was the home of the world famous leader of the Suffragette Movement, whose militant protests were instrumental in the introduction of voting rights for women during the Edwardian era. Emmeline and her daughter Christabel together formed the Women's Social and Political Union in 1903. Nowadays, The Pankhurst Centre is a women-only space of learning, relaxing and socialising for women from all over Manchester. A museum in the centre displays the work and struggle of women suffragettes, as well as reflecting everyday domestic life in the Pankhurst parlour.

On Sunday 3 March 'The Pankettes' gave audiences a free, informal performance within the Great Hall at The Royal Exchange and we were there to enjoy their lovely voices as part of the Wonder Women: Radical Manchester season.

The Pankhurst Centre is open Monday to Thursday 10-4, closed Friday to Sunday and well worth a visit. What better time to drop in than during the Wonder Women: Radical Manchester season (only women though of course!)

Mary McCartney’s ‘radical women’ take the lead in new exhibition of her photographs at The Lowry

Renowned photographer offers intimate perspectives on the lives of entertainment and fashion icons including Marianne Faithful, Vivienne Westwood, Helen Mirren and Beth Ditto.

Photograph by Mary McCartney

Including previously unseen photographs of cultural icons, pictured in moments of often unguarded, emotionally-charged intimacy, Developing: Photographs by Mary McCartney, a new exhibition of the photographer’s work shows at The Lowry, Salford between Saturday 16 March – Sunday 9 June 2013.

At the heart of the exhibition is a series of images that provide a window into the lives of world’s most influential, recognisable and often radical women including Tracey Emin, PJ Harvey, Joni Mitchell, Gwyneth Paltrow and Vivienne Westwood.  Working with some of the fashion industry’s most prominent designers and from assignments with publications including Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, the portraits featured in Developing provide a glimpse of the inspirations, histories and personalities of her subjects.

To find out more about Developing: Photographs by Mary McCartney visit: www.thelowry.com

Women in Science Then

Fri 15 Mar: Women in Science Then

Focussing on women scientists from Manchester’s history such as Marie Stopes, Kathleen Drew Baker, Margaret Murray and Lydia Becker.

This event will begin at Manchester Museum where there will be a chance to see museum objects linked with these women.

Jean Balio, from Manchester Guided Tours, will then lead a walking tour linking women scientists, finishing at John Rylands Library.

1-2.30pm, Free

Book on 0161 275 2648 or museum@manchester.ac.uk, suitable for adults

Radical Objects: What's in your handbag? #1

Hilary Jack. Artist. Glass in Handbag.

 

As the Wonder Women programme of events got underway last week, we went along to the launch of the Head to Head exhibition at Castlefield Gallery and asked: what's in your handbag? The objects you carry around with you each day may not seem to hold much significance, but these objects tell a story. They offer a shapshot of what it means to be a woman in Manchester in 2013. Browse through the collection here and if you have an object you would like to share please do so on Twitter #wonderwomenmcr!

Hayley Newman & Emily Speed Launch Event at Castlefield Gallery

28th February 2013

Emily Speed. Artist. Craft Knife.

 Hayley Newman. Artist. Smiley Face Jacket.

Hayley Newman and Emily Speed's work forms Castlefield Gallery’s annual Head to Head show. Hayley's jacket was made for Newman’s piece ‘Facing,’ a performance art commission which was part of the ‘Between’ season at The Cornerhouse from March to September 2012. Emily shares her craft knife; essential for crafting on the move!

Clarissa Corfe. Curator. Urban Survival Kit: Bicycle Torch & Compass.

Exhibition curator Clarissa knows her way around Manchester but still carries a compass around in her handbag as a kind of ‘lucky charm’.The bicycle torch comes in handy when cycling. Both items relate to the theme of journeying, both helping in getting from A to B.

 Charlotte Horn. Exhibition Photographer, Camera Case

Charlotte’s camera case represents her love of photography. Charlotte is a volunteer at Castlefield Gallery and a recent Fine Art graduate.

 Annie Carpenter. Artist and Curator. 3-way adapter plug.

At the recent ‘Bring your own beamer’ exhibition Annie borrowed the plug from the Castlefield gallery and was carrying it in her bag at the launch…

Annie Harrison. Artist. Rose Quartz. 

Since sadly losing her father before Christmas, Annie has carried a rose quartz in her pocket as reminder of him and of the presents they exchanged. 

Elizabeth Murphy. Artist. Diary.

 Elizabeth’s diary let’s her know where she is, and where she’s going to wake up.

Laura Mansfield. Artist and Curator. 20 chopping boards and rolls of kitchen towels in an Ikea bag.

Laura was preparing a workshop to be delivered to second year MMU students on the topic of ‘Making Lunch’. Laura is involved with the publication ‘Feast’- a journal of contemporary visual art and food.

Natalie Bradbury. Journalist and Writer. Shrieking Violet Fanzine.

Natalie poses with a copy of ‘Shrieking Violet’ the fanzine of which she is editor. Natalie’s blog of the same name won the best arts and culture award at the 2011 Manchester Blog Awards. 

Jennifer Dean. Communications Coordinator at Castlefield Gallery & Founder of Manchester Art Walk. Watch.

Jennifer received this watch as a gift from her boyfriend when he left to work in the US. This object reminds Jennifer of the difficult decision she made in deciding not to follow him but choosing instead to pursue her career in Manchester.

Sarah Perks. Programme & Engagement Director at Cornerhouse. Toothbrush Spoon.

On a recent train journey back from Cambridge, Sarah found herself with a messy salad and no spoon…desperate to not be late to a launch event she innovatively fashioned a utensil from the toothpaste tube she conveniently had in her handbag…the same tube we found on her person this evening. Rather a radical object!

We will be asking 'What's in your handbag?' at subsequent Wonder Women events throughout March and early April so stay tuned for future posts!

Women in Science: now and then

On Friday 8th March 2013, to celebrate International Women's Day and Wonder Women Radical Manchester, three leading female researchers from the Faculty of Life Sciences’ Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell-Matrix Research will join a panel discussion to talk candidly about their research, what makes them tick and how they view the role of women in the ever-competitive world of biomedical research.

The three speakers are: Professor Cay Kielty, Associate Dean for Research in FLS, and much respected scientist and prolific publisher on all things cell-matrix and mother-of-three, Dr Rachel Lennon, a Paediatric Nephrologist at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, group leader in kidney research and mother to twins, and Dr Sarah Woolner, the latter a recently appointed fellow who is currently establishing her own lab studying the development of the early embryo, and who is expecting her first baby in April!

The format will be an informal panel discussion over coffee and cake to allow the audience to get involved and ask both general questions but also those more pertinent ones, including ‘is it important that there are women in science?’

Professor Cay Kielty

Dr Sarah Woolner

Dr Rachel Lennon

Ladies Rock: Lydia Becker and Marie Stopes at Manchester Museum

Collection Bites Join our guest speakers for lunchtime conversations featuring key objects from our collections.

Wed 6 March :

Ladies Rock: Lydia Becker and Marie Stopes at Manchester Museum

To celebrate International Women’s day Gillian Smithson will highlight the achievements of two prominent women, Lydia Becker and Marie Stopes.

She will draw attention to their work at the Manchester Museum as well as commemorating their achievements which secured greater freedoms for women.

First  Wednesday of the month, 1.15-2pm

Please book on 0161 275 2648 or museum@manchester.ac.uk as spaces are very limited.

Snapshot on Women

Go behind the scenes at the People's History Museum and delve into the unique photo collections

  

 

When 4 March 2013

Where People's History Museum, Spinningfields

Time 12:30 - 13:30
Duration 60 minutes
Cost Free. Donations to the museum gratefully received

Did you know the museum holds an archive of over 80,000 photographs?  Go behind the scenes and delve into our unique photo collections, the Labour Party photograph collection and the Communist Party of Great Britain photograph collection.

In this lunchtime drop-in session, browse through photographs on the theme of women and uncover history through the lens.

Suitable for adults.

Wonder Women WI Style

Mention the Women’s Institute in wartime and the reaction, all too often, is: Oh ‘Jam and Jerusalem’. They did sing Jerusalem at their meetings during the Second World War and they did make jam.  A lot of it: over 5,000,000 kilos, all from surplus fruit. 

However that was only the tip of the iceberg. They did a great deal more and some of it was intangible, unquantifiable work.  They kept the countryside ticking and allowed rural Britain to expand to accommodate and cope with wave after wave of change: evacuees, evacuated business, prisoner of war camps, Army and Air Force bases, Auxiliary Units.  How did they do this? By being eminently practical. At the outbreak of war the government decided to shut down all markets but the WI successfully argued that more people in the countryside meant more pressure on food supplies. Markets would allow surplus fruit and vegetables to be sold to feed people. Just one small example of their clear-thinking, no-nonsense approach to problems.

As an author of four books on the social history of the Second World War, I am humbled by the extraordinary resilience and bravery of ordinary people during those long and often dark years.  Jambusters celebrates one of the groups that made an outstanding contribution to life in rural Britain during the war and I hope it will impress upon people that dogged determination, hour by hour, day by day, month by month to keep going can be judged to be as valuable, in its own way, as acts of overt bravery.

Almost no one did more to battle with bureaucracy and ministry officials than the WI General Secretary, Dame Frances Farrer.  She took on truculent officials and rang cabinet officers before breakfast, so she could be sure of reaching them but she saw it as nothing more than her job.

The motto of Cambridgeshire Federation of Women’s Institutes was: ‘Say little, serve all, pass on. This is the true greatness – to serve unnoticed and work unseen.’ Members of the wartime WI were, to me, some of the unsung wonder women.  I hope Jambusters will convince others of that too.

Julie will be celebrating the launch of Jambusters at IWM North on Sunday 3^rd March 2013 with a lecture in the presence of two members of the wartime WI in the book, Peggy Sumner and Sybil Norcott.

www.iwm.org.uk

www.juliesummers.co.uk/jambusters

www.facebook.com/jambusters1