Manchester High is very proud of its suffrage and Pankhurst connections. Sylvia Pankhurst was a pupil from 1893 to 1898. Her two sisters, Christabel and Adela, were also pupils.
During the renovations in School reception, precautions have been taken to ensure that our bronze maquette of Sylvia is kept safe. It has been moved with great care from its plinth and stored in a safe place while work is being done.
The maquette shows Sylvia carrying copies of ‘The Women’s Dreadnought', a newspaper that Sylvia founded and edited in 1914. She is standing on all the banners and newspapers that represent the many campaigns in which she was involved. It is significant that she is striding across College Green looking towards the House of Commons, as she had threatened to fast to death at the Strangers’ Entrance to the House of Commons if the Prime Minister refused to receive a deputation from women supporting the suffrage campaign.
The maquette, by Ian Walters, was for a statue originally planned to stand outside the Houses of Parliament. It was bought by MHSG in 2002.
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