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Unveiling of Our Emmeline statue
On Friday 14 December the Our Emmeline statue will be unveiled in St. Peter’s Square, Manchester.
The statue, designed by sculptor Hazel Reeves, will be unveiled exactly 100 years to the day after the first women went to the polls in a UK General Election.
Our Emmeline is part of the Womanchester Statue campaign which was established to commission a new statue for Manchester, recognising the significant contribution of women to the city and redressing the inequality in their representation across Manchester’s statues. The public was invited to vote on a shortlist of women to be immortalised with a statue, British Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst was the popular choice with over 56% of the votes.
Working on a pro-bono basis, we secured planning permission for the statue, alongside advising on heritage and urban design aspects of the project.
Planning Director, Head of Expert Witness and Director of CSR at Turley, Bob May, is attending the unveiling ceremony which will begin with a march from Great Northern Square (not far from People’s History Museum) and Denmark Road (not far from the Pankhurst Centre), followed by a screening of the making of Our Emmeline, a performance from the Manchester Community Choir and speeches from Councillor Andrew Simcock, Helen Pankhurst and Hazel Reeves sharing the story of Our Emmeline.
Speaking about Our Emmeline, Bob May said:
“It is great to see Emmeline Pankhurst’s contribution to Manchester, and the country, recognised with the Our Emmeline statue. We are honoured to have been involved in such a fascinating and historic project and we hope the statue is enjoyed by many generations to come.”
Sculptor Hazel Reeves said:
“I’m so excited that Emmeline will be rallying the crowds once more in her home city. It has been an honour to sculpt her and I hope I’ve captured Emmeline at her campaigning best, as the courageous, determined and dignified activist.”
Image courtesy of Sue Anders Photography
The ceremony
Several Turley co-owners joined the crowds in St. Peter's Square to enjoy the unveiling ceremony this afternoon.
14 December 2018