Join the march to unveil Manchester’s new Emmeline Pankhurst Statue
11 Dec 2018
University of Manchester staff and students are being encouraged to join a march to St Peter’s Square to take part in the unveiling of a statue of suffragette, Emmeline Pankhurst.
On 14 December 2018, exactly 100 years to the day after the first women went to the polls in a UK General Election, ‘Our Emmeline’ will be unveiled in Manchester’s St Peter’s Square.
It is a day that everyone is invited to participate in that will embrace and bring together all those who have supported the Our Emmeline project. To reflect the coming together of people, two symbolic meeting points have been selected; the Pankhurst Centre, the former home of Emmeline Pankhurst and the birthplace of the suffragette movement; and People’s History Museum, the national museum of democracy. Those taking part are invited to meet at locations near these points, or along the route, before converging at St Peter’s Square to greet Our Emmeline.
In May 2014 the Womanchester Statue Campaign was established to commission a new statue for Manchester to recognise the significant contribution of women to the city’s history. The campaign was prompted by the fact that of Manchester’s 17 statues at the time, only one represented a woman, a monument to Queen Victoria that was erected over 100 years ago, which is situated in Piccadilly Gardens.
Over 5,000 people participated in a public vote to choose a female icon and in January 2016 it was announced that Emmeline Pankhurst, ‘Our Emmeline’, would become the city’s next female statue, receiving an overwhelming 56% of the votes.
Emmeline was born in Moss Side and was leader of the British suffragette movement who helped women win the right to vote. Her daughter Christabel, also a leading suffragette graduated with a law degree from the University.
The statue has been created by Hazel Reeves, an award-winning figurative sculptor, specialising in figure and portrait commissions in bronze. Her work includes the monumental Sir Nigel Gresley statue for King’s Cross station and a sculpture celebrating the lives of women biscuit factory workers – the ‘Cracker Packers’ which was unveiled in Carlisle on International Women’s Day (8 March) earlier this year.
At St Peter’s Square, Manchester Community Choir will provide an uplifting welcome before those will hear from Councillor Andrew Simcock, Helen Pankhurst and Hazel Reeves, who will share the story of Our Emmeline.
Councillor Andrew Simcock, Chair of the Emmeline Pankhurst Statue Committee: “This has been a project that from the beginning has been driven by people, and so I’m delighted that the 14th December 2018 will be a coming together of people to celebrate both Emmeline and her legacy and the essence of Manchester, as a place of progression, inclusivity and ground-breaking ideas.”
Fatima Abid, General Secretary of the University of Manchester Students’ Union, said: “I'm incredibly proud of Manchester unveiling the statue of Emmeline Pankhurst on Friday, not only because of how important the suffragettes’ role was in votes for women, but especially because this is invaluable for our future generations of women - the little girls who will benefit from being represented, from seeing a woman celebrated in the middle of the city.
“The suffragettes were not a perfect group, which is all the more reason I look up to them. They were very much human, they made mistakes. Personally, I hope the statue will not only serve as a reminder about our success and wins as women, but also as a reminder of how far we still have to go. We may make mistakes along the way - it’s part of the process - but we will only learn and get better. I am always hopeful, especially so when women are being celebrated."
Marchers rallying at Pankhurst Centre
10.30am marchers gather by the Whitworth on Denmark Road
11:20am marchers set off from Denmark Road making their way to St Peter’s Square
St Peter’s Square
11:05am screenings to commence, including a film of the making of Our Emmeline, in St Peter’s Square
12.00pm all marchers arrive at St Peter’s Square
12:10pm unveiling to commence
1:30pm finish
For more information, visit the Womanchester Statue website or #OurEmmeline on social media.