Manchester’s historic Pankhurst Centre has received a major set back following a break in last night to the parlour where Emmeline Pankhurst founded the suffragette movement.
Gail Heath, CEO of the Pankhurst Trust, says, “We are heartbroken that the Pankhurst Centre, which symbolises so much in the campaign for women’s equality should suffer this set back. It’s also a tragedy, and extremely sad, that it was someone seeking shelter for the night that led to this incident.
“We are already a museum fighting for our future, our current survival depends upon the support of volunteers and donations, with no public funding in place. This major set back comes as we near the eve of the anniversary of the founding of the suffragette movement, which we plan to mark with events, family fun, tea parties in the parlour, talks and much more beginning from 8 October. We will continue with the planned programme of activities, galvanised by the persistence of spirit of the suffragettes, as this is the only way we know how.”
The Grade II* listed building on Nelson Street was once the home to Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Sylvia, Adela and Christabel. The parlour is the place where Emmeline brought together a group of women to form the Women’s Social and Political Union, who would become known as the suffragettes.
The Pankhurst Centre recently missed out on transformational funding that would have upgraded and brought about improvements, including to security, that are so desperately required.
Following the break in, it is now in a situation whereby it urgently needs for the repairs to be carried out to the sash windows, damaged soft furnishing and to replace damaged suffragette costumes. It also needs an upgrade to the alarm system, cctv and lighting improvements, because sadly this incident follows previous break in attempts over recent weeks.
It has launched an urgent appeal to ask the public to help fund the repairs and pay for the damage that was caused.
The urgent Pankhurst Parlour fundraiser can be supported here: https://www.justgiving.com/
