Emily Wilding Davison

In June 2013 it will be 100 years since suffragette Emily Wilding Davison ran out in front of the King’s Horse at the Epsom Derby. She received injuries that led to her death four days later. To commemorate her act and to keep the conversations going that started with Wonder Women: Radical Manchester, People's History Museum are having a mini season of events.

4 June - 14 June 
100 Deeds - Inspired by Emily Wilding Davison (clickable link)
During Museum Opening Hours, FREE in Museum Foyer
On 4 June 1913, 100 years ago, Emily Wilding Davison stepped in front of the King’s horse at the Epsom Derby, whilst promoting women’s right to vote. Some considered her to be an extremist, others a hero.

On the 100 year anniversary of Emily’s deed at Epsom, we are interested in what gender equality means now. In response to the Women’s Social Political Union slogan ‘Deeds Not Words’, we are inviting 100 members of the public to do and share a deed. Come see these deeds on display in the museum foyer. Get involved by visiting 100deeds.co.uk or use the hashtag #100Deeds

A project by Sarah Evans and Jenny Gaskell. Funded by Equity Foundation, with thanks People’s History Museum, Wonder Women: Radical Manchester and The Future.

7 June 2013
From Mary Wollstonecraft to Margaret Thatcher – Women’s History Tour  (clickable link)
To commemorate the centenary of the death of Emily Wilding Davison
1.15 – 2.00pm, FREE, booking advised 

Come along for a guided tour of the main galleries of the People’s History Museum and discover how women shaped our history. Including the ‘first feminist’ Mary Wollstonecraft, the suffragettes, the peace campaigners at Greenham Common and, love her or hate her, Britain’s first female Prime Minister.

7 June 2013
Emily Wilding Davison and Provincial Militant Protest - A fascinating talk by Krista Cowman (clickable link)
2.00pm after the Women’s History Tour, FREE, booking advised 

Most people are familiar with the story of the end of Emily Wilding Davison’ s life. Her tragic death under the hooves of the King’ s horse at the Derby a century ago and her impressive funeral procession have become some of the most iconic images of the suffragette campaign. What is less well known, perhaps, is the work that Emily did for the suffragette movement in the years before her death. When the suffragette leaders were told by Prime Minister Campbell Bannerman to ‘go on pestering’ if they wanted to get the vote, that was exactly what they set out to do, following politicians the length and breadth of Britain to get their point across.

This talk looks at Emily Wilding Davison’ s part in these provincial protests, including her work in Manchester, and outlines their value to the wider suffrage campaign. Krista Cowman has taught at the University of York and Leeds Metropolitan University and is currently Professor of History and Director of Research for the College of Arts at the University of Lincoln. Krista has published and broadcast widely on the history of the British suffrage movement, and has a particular interest in the Women’ s Social and Political Union and its provincial work. Her history of the WSPU’ s paid organisers was published by Manchester University Press in 2007.


8 June 2013
100 Deeds - Meet the Artists (clickable link)
2.00 – 3.00pm, FREE, Drop In 

100 Deeds is a project which encourages members of the public to do an action which represents or promotes gender equality in the modern day, then promotes the people’s action. It is a direct response to the 100 year anniversary of Emily Wilding Davison’s fatal protest and is an opportunity for everyday people to recognise themselves as the makers of modern history. Come along and meet the artists to find out more about the project and to view all the deeds collected to date. Get involved by visiting 100deeds.co.uk or use the hashtag #100Deeds


12 June 2013
Emily Wilding Davison: the one who threw herself under the horse (clickable link)
A new play from Cambridge Devised Theatre.
3.00 – 4.30pm, Cost £7 adults, £5 concessions, booking required 

A new play from Cambridge Devised Theatre about the suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, which has been specially devised and written to coincide with the centenary commemorations of her death at the Derby in June 1913.

The play is set in the context of the struggle for women to have the vote in the first quarter of the 20th century, fitting with the People’s History Museum’s galleries that display ideas of democracy, reform, protest, power and politics, and Manchester’s vital role in the history of the suffragette movement. The play will also address questions relevant to our own time about the nature of protest, risk, personal sacrifice, women’s education, fanaticism, torture and the role of the state.

100 Deeds

Hello everyone

We are Jenny & Sarah & we wanted to welcome you to 100 Deeds! 100 Deeds is a project which came out of a conversation about the word ‘feminism’ and what that means to people.

We wanted to create a project which in someway marked the 100 year anniversary of the Emily Wilding Davison’s protest at Epsom Derby (4th June 1913) in which she stepped in front of a horse whilst protesting for women’s right to vote. It’s an iconic moment in British history – I don’t know about any other girls but I grew up knowing that I should vote before knowing anything about politics, simply because somebody had died for my right to. I think the both of us have a complicated response to Emily’s action – we’re not sure if it was heroic, or an act of terrorism. We’re not even sure if Emily did this on purpose.

What we do think is that there’s something in the Women’s Social Political Union slogan ‘Deeds Not Words’; we think that actions do often speak louder than words. We also think that opinions around gender quality are complex and diverse. Possibly 1 action cannot sum up what the feminism means to us now, but maybe 100 actions might get close.

So we’re asking people to do something really simple – to do a deed which promotes or represents what feminism means to you (don’t just talk about it) and then share it with us ... (see the image above for one of the first submissions)… We will share our findings online & in a showing at People’s History Museum. Anyone can get involved & become a modern history maker – take a look here: 100deeds.co.uk 

Lillian Forrester: “We broke the glass of some pictures as a protest but we did not intend to damage the pictures”.

Today, 3rd April 2013, marks the centenary of an attack by three suffragettes – Annie Briggs, Evelyn Manesta and Lillian Forrester – on a number of pictures in the Manchester Art Gallery as part of the militant campaign for votes for women. The women were charged under the Malicious Damage Act; Lillian and Evelyn were sent to prison. The judge stated that if the law would allow he would send them round the world in a sailing ship deeming this the best thing for them...

This shocking moment has been revisited throughout the Wonder Women season. Manchester Art Gallery has programmed a number of key events throughout March and April including a number of curator-led gallery tours focusing on key items in the gallery's collection which have links with the Suffragette movement reflecting on the gallery as the site of radical political protest.

Gallery Talk: Isabel Dacre & Annie Swynnerton

On Thursday 7th March we joined Fine Art Curator Rebecca Milner as she discussed the work of two female Victorian painters: Isabel Dacre and Annie Swynnerton. Both artists were involved with the Suffragette movement in Manchester and shared a lifelong friendship. The artists together founded the Manchester Society of Women Artists in 1876; Dacre also served as president of the organization. For a decade (1885–95), Dacre was a member of the executive committee of the Manchester National Society for Women's Suffrage.

Rebecca Milner discusses Dacre's work 

Isabel Dacre Italian Women in Church Image Courtesy of Manchester City Galleries

Annie Swynnerton (1844-1933) was born in Manchester and in 1922 became the first female associate of the Royal Academy since the 18th century. Rebecca Milner discussed Montagna Mia (circa 1923) meaning 'My Mountain'.

Gallery Talk: Anna Philips

On the 14th March Janet Boston discussed some key items within the gallery's collection which were donated by Anna Philips of the Philips family of Philips Park Whitefield, Manchester. Anna came from a family of merchants who owned The Park from 1799 - 1948. The Philips became a prominent family in the area and the second generation of Philips to live at The Park went on to be prominent people within the political world as well as being involved in education and other philanthropic pursuits. 'The Philips of The Park' exhibition will run at Bury Art Museum from 16 March - 31 August if you would like to find out more about the family. More info about his exhibition can be found here.

Janet Boston discussing Anna Philips' donated objects

Each Thursday Manchester Art Gallery is open until 9pm and this month's 'Thursday Lates' programme has been dedicated to the 'Wonder Women: Radical Manchester' season. The gallery has hosted some extraordinary events including 'Un-Convention Women: Pussy Riot' (7th March) an evening about current issues arising in feminism around the world.  The event included spoken word and music performances, plus discussion of recent events in Russia with the Pussy Riot trials, with three actresses reading the testimonies from the Pussy Riot trials and performance and discussion from Viv Albertine (The Slits), Jayne Casey, Tracey Moberly, Alex Keelan, She Makes War and more. 

'Delia Darlings' took place on 14th March. This event celebrated the life and work of electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire (1937-2001), one of the pioneering figures in the development of electronic music in Britain.  Delia Darlings are Manchester based artists working in music and sound who have been paying sonic homage to Delia Derbyshire by spending time with her archives at the University of Manchester. On the 21st March Canadian artist Michelle Teran presented 'Folgen' a performance lecture as part of the FutureEverything programme.  Exploring the intersections between social and technological networks, Teran’s work covers live installations, lectures, online performances and connected events.

DJ Mary Anne Hobbs

On 28th March DJ Mary Anne Hobbs was in conversation with Dave Haslam discussing her current job as Weekend Breakfast presenter for BBC Radio 6 Music, her stint living on a bus in a car park and her role as a woman at the forefront of music broadcasting.

This Thursday 4th April the gallery will host the RNCM In The City Concert. Mezzo-sopranos Rosie Middleton and Lucilla Graham will perform a modern programme including works by Ella Jarman-Pinto and Royal Northern College of Music student composer Michael Betteridge, accompanied by pianist Pilar Beltran. Each piece will offer a new take on the theme Wonder Women: Radical Manchester. Find out more info about this event here.


You may also be interested in this fascinating article by Jeanette Winterson '100 years after the suffragettes' which was published in the Guardian on Friday 29th March.

Behind the Scenes at The Whitworth

Behind the scenes in The Whitworth's collection lies the work of some incredible women artists whose work is not exhibited at present.
On the 23rd March curator Helen Stalker kindly allowed the public to engage with the work of three radical women artists: Lynn Hershman Leeson, Barbara Bodichon & Käthe Kollwitz.

Lynn Hershman Leeson (born 1941) is an American performance artist and filmmaker whose work investigates the notion of identity and selfhood. She explores the things that make us unique. Between the years of 1974 and 1978, Hershman Leeson spent much of her time performing as an alter ego, the character Roberta Breitmore. Much of the work—drawings, photographs, clothing, medical records, letters, etc.—Hershman Leeson produced during the Breitmore years related to the character’s emotional and practical existences. This work anticipated the notion of the 'avatar' and of stolen identity years before the advent of the Internet.

Visitors delve into The Roberta Breitmore series (1974–78)

Barbara Bodichon (1827 – 1891) was an English educationalist, artist, and a leading early nineteenth-century feminist and activist for women's rights. In the 1850s Bodichon would meet with a group of friends in Langham Place in London to discuss women's rights.                                    The women would subsequently become known as "The Ladies of  Langham Place". This became one of the first organised women’s movements in Britain. They pursued many causes vigorously, including their Married Women’s Property Committee. In 1854 Bodichon published her Brief Summary of the Laws of England concerning Women. Listen here for an interesting discussion of Bodichon's life and work on BBC Radio 4 Women's Hour.

Käthe Kollwitz, The Captives, 1908

Käthe Kollwitz (1867 – 1945) was a remarkable German painter, printmaker and sculptor whose work dealt largely with issues of hunger, poverty and suffering. She is widely acknowledged as one of the most important female artists of the 20th Century.

Many thanks to Helen Stalker for her insightful discussions. Stay up to date with The Whitworth's Adult Programme events by following the link to the blog: here

Radical Objects: What's in your handbag? #2

Esther Sherman, Railcard Holder

Below are some images gathered at recent Wonder Women events where women were asked to share an object which they carry around with them which says something about what it is to be a women in Manchester in 2013. What would you share? Upload your images to Twitter @WonderWomenMcr.





Rhiannon Jones- Earrings

Helen Stalker - Eyebrow salon loyalty card

Sheilagh Gall- Book Club Book

Emma Wootton, Make Up

Sheilagh Gall- Scissors

Jo Femia, Black Notebook

Bernadette Hyland, Business Card

Napkin

Mother's Wedding Rings

Emily Wilding Davison T-shirt

Greetings Card for Japan

The anti suffrage argument: A changing picture

I gave a tour of the People’s History Museum (PHM) last Friday as part of Wonder Women: Radical Manchester; a series of events that explores and commemorates women’s history (or herstory). One of the most interesting things about the objects we looked at during the tour, was how they show a change in the argument about why women should not have the vote. For instance in George Cruickshank’s 1853 The Rights Of Women or the Effects of Female Enfranchisement the satirist made clear points about why women should remains disenfranchised. Women, argued Cruickshank, were only interested in the superficial, and could not deal with the complexity of political argument. Consequently the women in Cruickshank’s print fawn over the handsome candidate ‘ladies’ Sir Charles Darling, while ignoring the great political economist and ‘gentlemen’s’ candidate Screw Driver.

Image courtesy of the People's History Museum

In the galleries there is another print that reflected women’s supposed inability to cope with complexity of political debate. Here the women fawn over the candidate ‘Fitzbland’ whose popularity – like darlings – is based on looks rather than political acumen. The unknown artist proposed another argument against votes for women, namely as a sex women did not have the physical capacity to survive the maelstrom that was Victorian politics. This is show by the speakers need to lean on her chair while addressing the group, and further witnessed by the woman who has fallen asleep.

Image courtesy of the People's History Museum

By the 1900s, however, arguments against women voting had to some extent changed. In John Hassall’s A Suffragette’s Home (around 1912) a working class man comes home from a day’s labour to find that his suffragette wife has gone out campaigning, leaving his children abandoned, his house un-cleaned, and his tea not made. Gone was the argument that women were incapable of dealing with masculine world of politics, and instead the suggestion that were they to become active participants in the democratic process, there would be no time to fulfill their household chores.

Image courtesy of the People's History Museum

The reason for the change is I think to do with the nature of the demand for the vote. Crudely speaking, mid-19th century suffrage campaigners focussed on a middle-class intellectual argument that men and women were equal. And as such women had a moral right to vote on the same terms as men. The prints counteracted this, suggesting that men and women were inherently different, and the latter had neither the capacity to understand the nature of political argument, nor cope with its physical rigour. In the latter part of the 20th century there was a growing argument that women needed the vote, not because they had a moral right to it but because it would improve their lives. This was an argument linked especially to working-class women, and one laid out by A. Maude Roydon in ‘Votes and Wages’.

Image courtesy of the Working Class Movement Library

It is perhaps unsurprising that the arguments had changed. When working class women who often combined their domestic roles with long-hours in tough jobs, became ever-more vocal in their demands for the vote, anti-suffrage campaigners could hardly claim that the female sex had not the physical capacity to deal with politics. Thus the argument changed, to one suggesting that voting and the demand for it impacted on women’s moral duty to raise and support her family. The objects on display at PHM show that just as the pro-suffrage campaign changed its arguments and its tactics over the course of demands for female suffrage, so too did the arguments which opposed it.

This blog post was written by Chris Burgess, Collections Access Officer at the People's History Museum.  You can find out more about Chris' work by reading his blog Unlocking Ideas or following him @UnlockIdeas.  The tour was a sell out and we are hoping to shortly have a repeat date, leave a comment below if you would like know when that will be.

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.