A history day in Huddersfield will celebrate the lives and work of some of the town’s most remarkable women going back well over 100 years.
The day-long event called Huddersfield’s Pioneering Women has been organised by Huddersfield Local History Society and will be held in Huddersfield town centre on Saturday November 9.
A highlight will be a new version of the autobiography of suffragist Florence Lockwood (1861–1937), a Linthwaite mill-owner’s wife who was active in the local Liberal party, campaigned for votes for women, joined the 1914-1918 anti-war movement and still found time to paint some of the most evocative pictures of the Colne Valley.
The autobiography, called An Ordinary Life, has been out of print for many years but Huddersfield Local History Society’s 2024 publication is a new edition with commentary and illustrations.
Huddersfield Local History Society chair Cyril Pearce said: “Our 2024 History Day is a celebration of the lives and work of some of the women from Huddersfield and the Colne Valley who made their mark on its social and political movements in the 20th century.”
They include Mary Sykes, one of England’s first women solicitors and, in 1945, Huddersfield Corporation’s first female Mayor, and Elizabeth Wilson, a humanitarian, peace campaigner and, with Hudfam, one of the originators of Oxfam.
The day will also look at Huddersfield’s women and girls from widely different backgrounds who came together to campaign against the First World War.
Cyril, author of two books on the anti-war movement, said: “Studies of British opposition to the First World War have, hitherto, concentrated on the experiences of men who became conscientious objectors, but that is only part of the story.
“The activities of Huddersfield’s anti-war women tell a story of how women from different backgrounds, life experiences and often widely different political persuasions came together to campaign for peace.”
Katie Broomfield, a barrister and public historian, will be paying tribute to Mary Sykes while Bernard Taithe, professor of Cultural History at the University of Manchester, will explore the humanitarianism of Elizabeth Wilson, focusing on her travels and journalism as well as her links to fairtrade.
The Florence Lockwood book launch will be at 3pm and free to attend.
Originally published in 1932 and long out of print, this new edition of An Ordinary Life includes an introductory essay by Janette Martin and Rebecca Gill, a bibliography of Florence’s writing and eight extra images, including a recently discovered water colour painting she did.
The history day will be at Brian Jackson House, New North Parade, Huddersfield, from 9.30am to 4pm.
Booking is essential. All are welcome but admission for people who are not Huddersfield Local History Society members is £10. Lunch is extra and will also need to be booked in advance.
For more details and a booking form go to the Huddersfield Local History Society website (https://www.huddersfieldhistory.org.uk/events/historyday/).
An Ordinary Life, priced £10,will be on sale at the launch event but can be ordered on the Society’s website (https://www.huddersfieldhistory.org.uk/publications/) and will be available in bookshops.
Written by ANDY HIRST who runs his own Yorkshire freelance journalism agency AH! PR (https://ah-pr.com/) specialising in press releases, blogging, website content, copywriting and ghost-writing autobiographies.
Mary Sykes image courtesy of Caroline Howard and Annabel Sykes; and Suffrage banner embroidered by Florence Lockwood 1911© Kirklees Museums and Galleries
