We’ve got International Women’s Day coming up on March 8th.
A day when Bath’s historic Mayor’s Guides – a team of trained volunteers who show people around our World Heritage city every day – would be commemorating with special walks.
But – says Corps Chairwoman, Joy Roberts – in an email to Bath Newseum – “Unfortunately we are all in lockdown but we hope to be back for March 8th, 2022.
Meanwhile, we remember lots of Bath women from history who have worked hard to improve the lives of all women everywhere.
Each year there is a theme to International Women’s Day .
This year it is ‘Choose to Challenge. ‘and we remember those women throughout history who gave challenged prevailing ideas of what women’s lives should be.
Eagle House, in Batheaston, owned by Colonel and Mrs Emily Blathwayt. Along with their daughter Mary at the beginning of the 1900s they opened up their house to suffragettes who were campaigning for Votes for Women, many of whom had been imprisoned and force fed.There were lots of women, Elsie Howey , Annie Kenny, Rose Lamartine Yates, Constance Bulwer Lytton,Charlotte Marsh, and many more. We thank them all.
Eleanor Coade 1733…..1821.Owned a London Factory which produced Coade Stone. She perfected the recipe to make a stong stone which architects used to make door and window surrounds, ornaments and statues. There is a beautiful example of Coade Stone in Bath. Look at the coat of arms above the chemist in Argyle st.
Eleanor Coade lived in a time when it was not seen important to educate girls and yet she became a business women.
Helen Hope 1860….1923 Became in 1909, the first female councillor in Bath and worked hard on Education , Housing, Libraries, and Child Employment.
Baroness Burdett Coutts 1814.. 1906.Lived at 16 Royal Crescent. Said to be the richest woman of her age but gave £315 away to lots of charities.Worked to alleviate child labour and poverty,medical equipment to Florence Nightingale, and much more.
We thank them all. There are many more.”
In her email to me Joy ended by reiterating: “We hope to be back to celebrate International Women’s Day 2022.”
