Pankhurst Centre

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Pankhurst Centre
The Pankhurst Centre
Map
General information
Architectural styleEdwardian
Address60–62 Nelson Street, Manchester, England
Year(s) builtc. 1840[1]
Designations
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official nameThe Pankhurst Centre
Designated9 June 1974
Reference no.1197896
Website
pankhursttrust.org

The Pankhurst Centre, 60–62 Nelson Street, Manchester, England, is a pair of Victorian villas, of which No. 62 was the home of Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Sylvia, Christabel and Adela[2] and the birthplace of the suffragette movement in 1903.[3]

History

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62 Nelson Street was the home of Emmeline Pankhurst at the time she founded the Women's Social and Political Union in 1903.[4] She moved there after the death of her husband, Richard Pankhurst, in 1898.

On 9 June 1974, the site became a Grade II* listed building.[4] In 1978, there was an application submitted to demolish the building, sparking a notable protest to keep the building as a museum and centre committed to women's issues.

The parlour was the first room in the Pankhurst Centre to be redecorated and was the centre of attraction when Barbara Castle and Helen Pankhurst opened the centre on 10 October 1987.[5]

The centre would merge with Manchester Women's Aid in 2014 to offer women's charity services.[6]

The Representation of the People Act 1918 gave the vote to all men aged 21 and over and women aged 30 and over who met certain property qualifications. In its centenary year of 2018, calls were made to fund the Pankhurst Centre to make it a major museum that tells the story of women's suffrage and the women's rights movement.[7]

The Pankhurst Centre suffered a break-in on 1 October 2019. Since then, donations have been made to repair the damage, including £10,000 from The Co-operative Group.[8]

The centre reopened on 29 August 2021 after a major redevelopment project in the two galleries and the parlour during 2020.[9]

Description

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The Pankhurst's villas now form a centre that is a women-only space[citation needed] which creates a unique environment for women to learn together, work on projects and socialise.

Part of the centre is a museum, The Pankhurst Parlour, which has become a memorial to the suffragette movement. Its Edwardian style furnishings evoke the home of Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters. It is the only museum dedicated to telling the story of women's fight for the right to vote.

The Pankhurst Centre is run by volunteers and receives no public funding, relying solely on donations.

Pankhurst Centre Garden

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In September 2018, a newly designed garden by Janet Leigh (a garden designer based in Stockport), was opened at the Pankhurst Centre. The garden marks the centenary of Votes for Women, and acknowledges the work of suffragettes. The garden was funded by an outsourcing campaign, with over 500 people contributing over £24,000 in 2017. The garden also provides a relaxation space for the women and children residents of Manchester Women's Aid.[10]

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  • Blue plaque on the wall of The Pankhurst Centre
    Blue plaque on the wall of The Pankhurst Centre
  • Pankhurst Centre, interior
    Pankhurst Centre, interior
  • Opening of Pankhurst Centre Garden, September 2018
    Opening of Pankhurst Centre Garden, September 2018
  • Bench, Pankhurst Centre Garden
    Bench, Pankhurst Centre Garden
  • The Pankhurst Centre as seen from the Manchester Royal Infirmary car park
    The Pankhurst Centre as seen from the Manchester Royal Infirmary car park

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "The Pankhurst Centre". historicengland.org.uk. Historic England. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  2. ^ Hartwell 2001, p 320
  3. ^ Anon. "The Pankhurst Centre". The Pankhurst Centre. Archived from the original on 3 September 2004. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  4. ^ a b "The Pankhurst Centre 62, Manchester". British Listed Buildings.
  5. ^ "The Pankhurst Centre". manchester.gov.uk. Manchester City Council. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  6. ^ "History of the Building". The Pankhurst Centre. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  7. ^ Perraudin, Frances (31 December 2017). "Pankhurst Centre needs public funding, say women's rights activists". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  8. ^ "Pankhurst Centre: Museum handed £20k to fix vandal damage". BBC News. Manchester. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  9. ^ Kelly, Hana (15 July 2021). "Historic Pankhurst Centre to reopen with brand new exhibition and huge plans". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  10. ^ "Hundreds of supporters bring Pankhurst Garden to life". Visit Manchester. Retrieved 9 October 2019.

Further reading

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  • Hartwell, Clare (2001), Manchester, Pevsner Architectural Guides, London: Penguin, ISBN 0-14-071131-7
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53°27′47″N 2°13′39″W / 53.46306°N 2.22750°W / 53.46306; -2.22750

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