Blog | The Forgotten Women of Wakefield Project and Blue Plaque Unveiling

The Forgotten Women of Wakefield Project and Blue Plaque Unveiling

This evening's very special event will be given over to the voices of the women in our community who have enabled Dream Time Creative to achieve the next set of blue plaques for women in their #blueplaqueparity Forgotten Women of Wakefield campaign.

Sarah Leah Cobham, CEO of Dream Time Creative (DTC) will host the evening introducing short talks from DTC researchers and volunteers, about Edna Coates, a tireless charity worker who put Wakefield on the map with a state of the art Diabetes Centre at Pinderfields Hospital, The Staynes Sisters, brave women who prevented a mob attacking a group of conscientious objectors during the first world war, potentially saving their lives, and Eva Lett, the first woman to be appointed principal of Ripon College.

All these women will have blue plaques dedicated to them bringing the total of Forgotten Women of Wakefield plaques to 10 in just 2 years.

Achieving #blueplaqueparity: Before the Society entered into a partnership with DTC, there were just four blue plaques erected to women in the city: Dame Barbara Hepworth, Richmal Magnall, Constance Heward and Nellie Spindler. This was against approximately 30 blue plaques dedicated to or referencing men.

Since then, and in partnership with DTC’s Forgotten Women of Wakefield Project, blue plaques have been unveiled to Louisa Fennell, Gertrude McCroben, the Gissing Sisters, Edith Mackie, Phyllis Lett and Dame Marjorie Williamson. This brings the total number of blue plaques dedicated to women up to 10 and with three more to come in October, we are well on our way to achieving parity. We are on track to be the first city in the UK to have achieved this.

There will be a chance to find out more about the vision of the Dream Time Creative's Forgotten Women of Wakefield from the team and an opportunity to ask lots of questions about the project.

Doors Open at 7.00 pm for a 7.30 pm start. Free event. Open to all.

To book tickets, please visit our Eventbrite page.