Campaigning by the Suffragette movement in Clacton is being celebrated as part of the town’s 150th birthday commemorations.
In 1918 women aged over-30 and who met a property qualification were granted the vote in the UK for the first time.
Ten years later women were finally granted equal rights to men.
Holland-on-Sea resident Faye Cooper, née Goulden, is great-niece of leading suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst, who founded the active Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1903.
Along with Faye’s daughter (Emmeline Pankhurst’s great-great-niece) Kathrine Cooper, the pair began to research the movement and uncovered links to the town.
Not only did Emmeline bring her children to Clacton when they were young, but a number of prominent Suffragettes lived in the town – including some who took part in high profile protests in London.
Many of them spent time in Holloway Prison for their part in the protests, but returned to a heroines’ welcome at Clacton Railway Station.
This and some other examples of what they uncovered are captured in an audio post outside Clacton Railway Station, which forms part of the Clacton 150 Heritage Trail between Jaywick Sands and Holland-on-Sea.
Kathrine said: “I am so pleased that this important aspect of our social history is recorded as part of Clacton 150, and can’t help but feel some family pride too.
“While we take women’s suffrage as the norm now, weshould not forget that less than 100 years ago women did not have the same voting rights as men, and 103 years ago they had none at all.
“This only changed due to the work of Emmeline and the other Suffragettes.”
One of the sculptures in the current Octopus Ahoy! art trail, Autograph, marks the Suffragette’s work.
Both Faye and Kathrine signed Autograph, designed by artist Lois Cordelia, and people taking part in the trail can see it – to find the octopus download the Octopus Ahoy! app and join in.
Octopus Ahoy!, which marks the town’s 150th anniversary, runs until September 5, challenging you to find 91 sculptures around Tendring and the surrounding area.
To find out more go to octopusahoy.co.uk or download the free app.
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