Essex Women's Commemoration Project

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The Essex Women's Commemoration Project (EWCP) is an English scheme to erect memorial plaques to honour notable women residents of places in the county of Essex. By the end of 2024, the project had erected 31 plaques.

Contents

History

The project was set up by the Lord-Lieutenant of Essex, Jennifer Tolhurst, in 2021, following an approach from Essex theatre director Graham Watts who wanted to mark the quatercentenary of the birth of playwright and philosopher Margaret Cavendish, born in Colchester in 1623. Graham Watts joined Julia Abel Smith, James Bettley, Roy Clare and Juliet Townsend to form the EWCP team with the aim of identifying distinguished Essex women who had not received the public recognition it was felt they deserved. [1] [2] [3] [4]

The team used inclusion in the online Oxford Dictionary of National Biography as the principal criterion for the erection of a blue plaque on a building or nearby location associated with the subject. A shortlist of 72 women was drawn up and interested organisations, such as local councils and societies, were approached and asked whether they would like to take up the idea of erecting a plaque in their community. Organisations who worked with EWCP include Basildon Heritage, Chelmsford City Council, [5] Colchester Civic Society, [6] Essex Gardens Trust, the Federation of Essex Women's Institutes, [7] the Maldon Society, [8] the Newport Local History Group, [9] and the Essex and South Suffolk Community Rail Partnership.

The first plaque, to Margaret Cavendish, was unveiled by Mrs Tolhurst on 22 September 2021. [10]

Plaques

As of 31 December 2024, 31 plaques had been installed with the support of the EWCP:

Plans are also advanced for a plaque in Ingatestone to suffragettes Dorothea and Madeleine Rock. [71]

The project has also inspired other local initiatives, including a blue plaque to the artist Rosemary Rutherford that was unveiled at St Mary's Church, Broomfield, in November 2023, [72] [73] and one to circus artist Joan Rosaire unveiled in Billericay in September 2024. [74]

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References

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  2. ↑ Willis, Anna (28 May 2022). "The women behind the blue plaques popping up all over Essex". Essex Live. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "Ground-breaking Essex writer is celebrated for commemoration project – Essex Community Foundation". www.essexcommunityfoundation.org.uk. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  4. ↑ Watts, Graham (14 September 2023). "'Objects better recognised than women'". East Anglia Bylines. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
  5. ↑ "Blue plaques in Chelmsford". www.chelmsford.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  6. ↑ "Commemorative Plaques". Colchester Civic Society. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  7. ↑ "BLUE PLAQUE UNVEILING - NANCY TENNANT". Essex WI. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Blue Plaque Walk" (PDF). Maldon Society. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  9. ↑ Evans, David (March 2023). "Agnes Dawson: the woman who put 'Mrs' in the classroom". Essex Life: 152–153.
  10. ↑ Open Plaques. "Blue plaque № 57212". East Anglia Bylines. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
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  13. ↑ Rees, Daniel (8 September 2021). "Literary trailblazer to finally to be recognised at last". Gazette. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
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  18. ↑ Ware, George (17 March 2022). "Council unveil new plaque to pay tribute to inspirational suffragist". Braintree and Witham Times. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
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  25. ↑ Watts, Graham (February 2023). "Princess Dinubolu of Senegal - the Edwardian trailblazer". Essex Life: 144–145.
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  28. ↑ Open Plaques. "Blue plaque № 58490". openplaques.org. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  29. ↑ Dunderdale, Louise (18 May 2022). "4 inspirational women are celebrated in Newport". Saffron Walden Reporter. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
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  32. ↑ "Blue plaques in Chelmsford". www.chelmsford.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  33. ↑ Moffat, Macaully (30 September 2022). "Blue plaque of 16th-century historical figure unveiled at Essex arboretum". Braintree and Witham Times. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  34. ↑ "There's something about Mary; Essex Women's Commemoration Project honours former inhabitant of Marks Hall near Coggeshall | Markshall Estate". www.markshall.org.uk. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  35. ↑ "Blue Plaque for Clara James unveiled". CanveyIsland.org. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
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  37. ↑ "Blue Heritage Plaques | Canvey Island". www.canveyisland-tc.gov.uk. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  38. ↑ "Hannah Lake - a child of Wickford who became a Founding Mother of America". Wickford Community Archive. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  39. ↑ Open Plaques. "Blue plaque № 58520". openplaques.org. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  40. ↑ Watts, Graham (October 2023). "Alice Lee, the Essex statistician who proved size doesn't matter". Essex Life: 146–147.
  41. ↑ O'Hanlon, Seamus (31 December 2024). "Blue plaque unveiled to top mathematician Alice Lee". Daily Gazette (Colchester).
  42. ↑ Adams, Lewis (10 November 2022). "Revealed: The Colchester woman who could get a blue plaque in city centre". Gazette. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
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  44. ↑ Speight, Neil (25 September 2022). "Plaque and celebration to unveil it honours the life of Thurrock's Jane Packer". Thurrock Nub News. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  45. ↑ "Mary Edith Pechey - Community Website". Langham. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
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  47. ↑ "History of the Villages". Ingatestone & Fryerning Parish Council. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  48. ↑ Abel Smith, Julia (May 2023). "Isabel Rawsthorne, Essex's forgotten artist". Essex Life: 146–147.
  49. ↑ "Helen Robinson". The Telegraph. 9 October 2004.
  50. ↑ Emmett, Millie (15 November 2022). "Memorial plaque for suffragette unveiled at family home in Maldon". Maldon and Burnham Standard. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
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  54. ↑ "'Champion of women's voices' Nancy Tennant to be commemorated in Ugley". Saffron Walden Reporter. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
  55. ↑ "Making history". Essex Life: 141. July 2023.
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  59. ↑ Fletcher, Robert. "Dorothy Wadham plaque up". Ingatestone Pedallers. Retrieved 31 December 2024.
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  61. ↑ Hooper, Geoffrey (January 2023). "The explosive life of Philippa Walton". Essex Life: 169.
  62. ↑ Watts, Graham (August 2023). "Blue plaques for women: the 'Attagirl' air ace". Essex Life: 138–139.
  63. ↑ "Warley Place to unveil second plaque for Ellen Willmott". InYourArea.co.uk. 23 July 2022. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
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  66. ↑ Staff Reporter (20 March 2023). "Blue plaque unveiled at St Mary's church in memory of West Indian slave Hester Woodley". Your Harlow. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
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  71. ↑ Bettley, James (September 2023). "Blue plaques for women". Essex Life: 154–155.
  72. ↑ Bettley, James (January 2024). "Rosemary Rutherford: a talented artist whose work can be seen in Essex and Suffolk". Essex Life: 156–157.
  73. ↑ "Blue plaques in Chelmsford". www.chelmsford.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  74. ↑ Basildon Heritage (27 July 2024). "Blue Plaque for Joan Rosaire with Basildon Heritage". YouTube. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
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