Some pics from the 2023 Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Lecture

The lecture was excellent – thankyou Lynda Walker and Helen Crickard – and was followed by informal drinks and informal, but informed, discussion!

Lynda’s lecture is available here.

Brian Clarke donated his painting of Wortley Hall which was raffled in aid of the statue.

Mary Davis, Helen Crickard, Lynda Walker
Philippa Clark welcomed everyone…
and Megan Dobney updated on progress with the site – Clerkenwell Green

2018 Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Lecture

The 2018 lecture took place on Saturday 11 August at Wortley Hall, near Sheffield

Sheila Hanlon: Cycling to Suffrage

Here is a link to the really interesting blog by Sheila based on her presentation!

In this illustrated lecture, Dr Sheila Hanlon traced the history and politics of women’s cycling from Victorian times to today. The talk focussed on the integration of the bicycle into the Edwardian suffrage campaign as a form of transportation, protest and spectacle. Sylvia Pankhurst, an avid cyclist, was at the centre of the narrative from her early days learning to ride with the Clarion Cycling Club to the adaptation of the bicycle into the battle for the vote for women and beyond. We rode along with lady cyclists from the golden age of the tricycle to the everyday use of safety bicycles with a few surprises along the way.

Dr Sheila Hanlon is an historian specialising in the history of women’s cycling, particularly as it intersects gender politics from Victorian times to today. She completed her PhD at York University, Toronto and held a Vera Douie Research Fellowship at The Women’s Library. Her research has been featured on BBC radio and TV, and published in journals and magazines. Much of her work focuses on the importance of bicycles to the Edwardian suffrage campaign. She also brings history to modern cycling advocacy, working with a number of organisations such as CyclingUK.

Sponsored by the Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Committee, the National Assembly of Women, and Wortley Hall. The lecture was be followed by light refreshments and further conversation

2017 Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Lecture

The 2017 lecture took place on Saturday 12 August at Wortley Hall, near Sheffield and was a conversation with Helen Pankhurst

Deeds not Words: changes in women’s lives since 1918

Helen, Sylvia’s granddaughter, shared and invited reflections on how far we have got since 1918, based on a book she is writing for the centenary of the vote. Helen works for CARE International and is a Visiting Professor at LSE and Manchester Metropolitan University.

Sponsored by the Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Committee, the National Assembly of Women, and Wortley Hall.

2016 Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Lecture

The 2016 lecture took place on Saturday 13 August at Wortley Hall, near Sheffield and was given by Ruth Taillon the text is available here

Socialism, Feminism and the Women of 1916

Ruth Taillon is author of the 1996 book When History Was Made: the Women of 1916, a book that broke new ground at the time by identifying approximately 200 women who had taken an active part in the Easter Rising and highlighting their contribution to the events of Easter week. She edited Marie Mulholland’s book,The Politics and Relationships of Dr Kathleen Lynn for Woodfield Press and was also a contributing editor (Women and the State) to the Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing Vol. IV. Ruth was a founder of the Mary Ann McCracken Historical Society, that throughout the 1990s and into the early 2000s organised a range of activities to promote interest in women’s history and their contribution to Irish political, social, economic and cultural life. During this period, Ruth also worked with and for a number of community-based women’s groups and the trade union movement as both researcher and activist. She continues her interest in gender, equality, and peace and conflict issues and lectures occasionally on women’s history. Ruth is Director of the Centre for Cross Border Studies, which promotes and supports cross-border cooperation – on the island of Ireland and beyond. She is currently a member of the Irish Government’s Oversight Group for the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. 

2015 Sylvia Pankhurst Memorial Lecture

The 2015 lecture took place at 7pm on Friday 14 August at Wortley Hall, near Sheffield

"Sylvia Pankhurst and opposition to World War One" by Mary Davis
Mary Davis FRSA is Visiting Professor of Labour History at Royal Holloway University of London. She has written, broadcast and lectured widely on women's history, labour history, imperialism and racism.