A “fabulous” event took place at Congleton Town Hall on Saturday (international women’s day). However, it was not just international women’s day, it was also the birthday of the statue “Our Elizabeth”, it being three years since its unveiling in Bridge Street, Congleton in 2022. It is also women’s history month.
Elizabeth’s Group, which formed on international women’s day 2018, has a tradition that the day is marked with an event and this year it was an afternoon tea followed by a talk by Barbara Andrew.
Ms Andrew is described as a feminist, socialist, trade unionist, community activist and proud granddaughter of Thirza Cove, militant London suffragette. She entertained everyone with a talk on the women of Cheshire who worked to get the vote.
During the talk all were thrilled to hear that Congleton’s very own Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy started the very first women’s movement in Cheshire with a meeting attended by more than 1,000 people in Congleton Town Hall, in the very room they were sitting.
The event was attended by local MP Sarah Russell, Congleton mayor Coun Kay Wesley, Couns Suzy Firkin, Heather Seddon and Carol Bulman, as well as 50 women from all over Cheshire and beyond.
Susan Munro, chair of Elizabeth’s Group, presented Mrs Russell with a signed copy of her new book, “Justice is a Woman – the Wolstenholme Elmy Story” and also asked her to place another copy in the library at the House of Commons to commemorate Elizabeth. The MP said she was glad to do so.
Elizabeth’s Group continues to grow and now has a sub-group that is mentoring girls leaving care and also Elizabeth’s Writers, a writing group seeking to encourage women in the art of creative writing.
It also has two published books, “Still She Rises”, an anthology of poems and short stories published for international women’s day 2024 and “Justice is a Woman”. Both of these books are available at the information centre in Congleton Town Hall and “Justice is a Woman” is on Amazon and Kindle. All proceeds from the sale of both these books goes to the charity Elizabeth’s Group. See elizabethelmy.com.
