Swindon in the Past Lane

I have just received the most extraordinarily thoughtful present. For many years I have been researching and writing about Swindon Suffragette Edith New, who ranks as one of the most influential suffragettes along with the Pankhurst family and the Kenney sisters. She scored a number of Suffragette firsts - the first to chain herself to railings as a form of protest, the first to break a window (at 10 Downing Street, no less) and the first Suffragette to go on hunger strike in a Scottish prison. My research into the life and times of Edith New has involved giving talks and tours of the places associated with her here in Swindon and I was part of the Swindon Heritage team who installed a blue plaque on the house where she was born in North Street Swindon. Edith was born on March 17, 1877, the youngest surviving child of Frederic James New and his second wife Isabella. Frederic died before Edith's first birthday, struck by a train while walking along the railway line t...

Today marks the anniversary of Emmeline Pankhurst's birthday, although the date is still up for debate. Emmeline always celebrated her birthday on July 14 aligning her arrival with that other revolutionary happening, Bastille Day. It is more generally accepted that she was born in Manchester on July 15, 1858, the second of Robert and Jane Goulden's ten children. Emmeline Pankhurst Emmeline's involvement in socialist politics began in the 1890s when she joined the fledgling Independent Labour Park with her husband Richard Pankhurst. Her conviction that the only way women could improve their situation, still very much one of subordination to men across every stratum of society, was to campaign for the parliament vote. In 1903 the widowed Emmeline and her daughter Christabel founded the Women's Social and Political Union in Manchester and three years later moved their organisation down to headquarters in London. Mrs Pankhurst under police escort On May 19...

A book launch in a cemetery chapel may sound a bit bizarre to you, but to me it makes perfect sense. For ten years I have been a member of a small, but perfectly formed, group of cemetery enthusiasts. We research and write about the people buried in the cemetery and throughout the summer months conduct guided cemetery walks. In 2015 we re-enacted a Votes for Women campaign March and Rally complete with a choir singing The March of the Women and an Edwardian policeman trying to keep order. So, as you can see it is perfectly fitting to hold an event celebrating the lives of Swindon's women in Radnor Street Cemetery chapel. Join me for a short, informal book launch on Sunday June 23 at 1.45 pm followed by a guided cemetery walk with Andy and Noel.  Edith New Old Town Belles

As the industrial  revolution and the coming of the railways transformed the Wiltshire countryside Swindon women were on the front line of change, shaping the new industrial town and transforming the old market one. Incomers arrived from the great railway centres across the country to create a welcoming, tolerant and creative community with women's contribution at its heart. Following the incorporation of Old and New Swindon in 1900 innovative women stepped up to the plate; women like Swindon born suffragette  Edith New who challenged political conventions and Emma Noble, Swindon's first female councillor, who campaigned to improve living conditions in the town. The story of Swindon women includes artists and actresses, political activists and social reformers and the ordinary women who worked in the factories, raised their children and made a difference. Discover how development at the Great Western Railway factory almost stalled due to a lack of female empl...

If you haven’t got around to visiting the Richard Jefferies Museum yet this spring, then Sunday June 2 is the perfect time to do so. Take a trip on the Coate Water Miniature Railway , making sure you alight at the Richard Jefferies Halt. Visit the museum, enjoy a walk around the grounds and partake of a cream tea in the Mulberry Tearoom, but make sure you are present for the unveiling of the Swindon Heritage blue plaque at 3 pm. This will be the 8 th Swindon Heritage blue plaque erected to mark significant people, places and events in the history of Swindon. The first was installed in May 2016 at 24 North Street, the birthplace of militant suffragette Edith New who campaigned for women’s suffrage alongside Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters and engaged in innovative and dangerous methods of protest. The second and third blue plaques were installed in a double event to honour the bravery of Squadron Leader Harold Morley Starr and his brother Wing Commander Norman J...

Alongside the work of the Friends of Angel's Orphanage supporting the 21 orphaned or abandoned children under their shelter, the charity also creates projects to empower women, to increase their skills base and to give them independence so that they can support themselves and their children. In April 2015 nearly 9,000 people were killed and 22,000 injured when an earthquake measuring a magnitude of 7.8 hit Nepal. Eight million people were affected and many remain homeless a y ear on in what has been described as 'a country of tarpaulins, tents and tin roofed shacks'. We are supporting the Friends of Angel's Orphanage at the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale. Please visit their stall and if you have some spare coins, please drop them in the collecting boxes. Thank you. The Book project and the women it helps. Himalayan Adventure Girls  is a non-profit organisation with the unique purpose of encouraging young Nepale women to participate in th...

We are on countdown to the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale, now just six days away. Meet our 18th seller Dona Bradley with her cards featuring hand-drawn landmark views of Swindon celebrating the 175th anniversary of the town. Printed without colour detail so it can be coloured by either the sender or recipient. Dona also takes commissions to commemorate events such as a graduation, a wedding, moving into a new home or another big event in life: a hand-drawn architectural portrait of the building where it happened. Dona creates the drawing by hand from photographs or sketches, colours the drawing digitally for a modern finish and adds a beautiful hand-watercoloured sky. You can then add personal elements, including text of your choice and a photograph of you, your family or your friends. See her website for more information:  http://www.dona-b-drawings.co.uk/ Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale Saturday November 12 1-4pm Christ Church Community Centre, Old Town. ...

For more information about the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale visit the Swindon Suffragette facebook page. The Swindon Society will also have a stall at our sale, with a display of old photographs of Swindon and an opportunity to meet some of the team and ask them questions about Swindon’s history. From its very beginnings the Society has attempted to record the social history of the area as shown by the camera since the 1850's. The collection contains photographic material on many subjects including the GWR Swindon, Swindon Tramway system, Wilts & Berks Canal, Swindon in both World Wars, school groups, areas of the town including Old Town, Gorse Hill, Rodbourne, surrounding villages and much more. The collection now numbers 15,000 plus images and is used to illustrate presentations to local groups. For more information see the website  http://theswindonsociety.co.uk/  or search facebook. The Swindon Society in action!

Seller number 14 is Tikara’s Trinkets selling miniature, framed, cross stitches; wire and bead jewellery; and dreamcatchers. Tikara says: I create handmade, individual pieces, using a range of materials and textile processes. Handmade dreamcatchers, created with crocheted doilies, coloured wools and glass beads- a perfect gift for any occasion. Quirky, twisted wire, and bead jewellery, for people who like to stand out from the crowd! Miniature, framed, cross stitches, inspired by superheroes and unicorns! Can also be made to order, with a name and design of choice. I enjoy combining traditional and contemporary textile processes, to create beautiful, one-off, items, for both the home and person. For more information see her facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Tikaras.Trinkets/ Meet Tikara at the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale November 12 1-4pm Christ Church Community Centre.

For more information about the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale visit the facebook page Swindon Suffragette. Poppy Seed Kitchen is our tenth seller providing handmade, bespoke wooden height charts; relaxation gift sets; delicate clay butterfly artwork, and personalised work. Sammi told us: I started Poppy Seed Kitchen after having my first daughter, Poppy, and wanted to spend as much time as I could at home. I left my job in Clinical Trials, moved to Swindon and started Poppy Seed Kitchen as more of hobby than anything else. It’s now become more than a hobby and I love creating bespoke items for families all over the UK and coming up with new and exciting ideas. But more importantly, it has given me the opportunity to take control of my own life and given me a bit of ‘me’ time back. If you can’t make our sale you can buy through etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PoppySeedKitchen…

Another update on the Women's Exhibition and Craft Sale November 12 Christ Church Community Centre. For more information visit the Swindon Suffragette facebook page. Our second seller is Cynara Jewellery and owner Rosie Leather told us the following about herself and her jewellery. I learnt silversmithing whilst living in north India in 2014 and I now work with many different materials including precious and semi-precious metals, epoxy resin and clay in my home studio in Swindon. In the past 18 months I have developed a style that is based on natural forms and textures. I enjoy recreating and capturing organic textures; playing with contr ast to present them in an original way. For example in my collection of brooches, I have set foraged seaweed from the wild Jurassic coast in clear epoxy resin. The resin frames and accentuates the coarseness of the seaweed, whilst making it more vibrant and wearable. In my metalwork, I hand forge rings, pendants and earrings from sterling...