Tracing the fascinating history of Doncaster borough’s inspirational suffragettes

The fascinating stories of a group of inspirational suffragettes from Doncaster have been uncovered by a group of women from Denaby Main.
By Nigel Booth
Published 10th Jun 2019, 14:18 BST
Updated 11th Jun 2019, 17:54 BST
Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst, Leader of the Women's Suffragette movement, is arrested outside Buckingham Palace while trying to present a petition to King George V in May 1914Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst, Leader of the Women's Suffragette movement, is arrested outside Buckingham Palace while trying to present a petition to King George V in May 1914
Mrs Emmeline Pankhurst, Leader of the Women's Suffragette movement, is arrested outside Buckingham Palace while trying to present a petition to King George V in May 1914

On May 28 the group retraced the journeys made by Doncaster’s Suffragettes as they travelled to London by train to visit Parliament.

“Over the past month, 10 women have been discovering the stories of women from Doncaster’s past, including the stories of Suffragettes like Lilian Lenton, Celtic Queens like Cartimandua, the Women Against Pit Closures and many more,” explained project manager, Victoria Ryves.

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“The group meet weekly in Denaby Main and find out about women in the past by examining objects from Heritage Doncaster’s museum collections.”

Adela Pankhurst (who came to Doncaster to campaign) by Col Linley Blathwayt at Eagle House in BatheastonAdela Pankhurst (who came to Doncaster to campaign) by Col Linley Blathwayt at Eagle House in Batheaston
Adela Pankhurst (who came to Doncaster to campaign) by Col Linley Blathwayt at Eagle House in Batheaston

The project, ‘Herstory’, is part of Heritage Doncaster’s ‘History, Health and Happiness’ work that is funded by Arts Council England. Herstory aims to encourage women to meet new friends and be inspired by women of the past. Herstory participant Nikitta Smith says, “Herstory has been an amazing opportunity for mums and women to get out of the house and learn things about women’s heritage that they otherwise wouldn’t have known.  Herstory has helped me to make new friends and made me realise I’m a strong, badass woman who can do anything I put my mind to!”

The trip to London retraced the journeys made by Doncaster Suffragettes, such as ‘Railway Suffragette’ Violet Key Jones.  Once in London the group visited key London landmarks including Downing Street and Trafalgar Square and were also able to visit the statues relating to some of the women they had learned about.  Claire Logan said: “Seeing the statues honouring the women we had learned about was so inspiring.”

For more information on the Herstory project visit https://www.heritagedoncaster.org.uk/happyhistory/ website.