Calls for volunteers to read Suffragette letters at centenary event.
Published: 21 May 2018
UofG Staff and students will be involved in a series of craft workshops, talks and readings to celebrate 100 years since some women got the vote in Britain.
UofG organisers involved in this weekend's Suffrage Centenary Event are recruting volunteers to take part in the commemorations.
The volunteers will read selected letters written by Suffrage campaigners and some of their relatives during the weekend of events inolving craft workships, talks and readings to celebrate 100 years since some women got the vote in Britain.
The event called “Women’s Partial Suffrage Centenary” is being held in Glasgow’s People’s Palace on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th May, 2018, from 1-4pm. In 1918, women older than 30 who owned property in Britain achieved the right to vote. Full women’s suffrage took a further 10 years.
In total 12 readers are been sought over the two day - six readers for the Saturday and six on the Sunday. Organisers are hoping to find two male voices and four female voices per day, but will attribute roles on a first come first served basis.
Texts will be emailed in advance and no previous experience is needed. The only criteria is that the volunteers are free from 1pm to 4pm on the day they wish to sign up for. Sign up via our find out more section or email: transatlantic.women@gmail.com
Dr Laura Rattray of the College of Arts' School of Critical Studies and founder of Transatlantic Literary Women, said: “This is a free, family-friendly event, open to all. It’s part of our Transatlantic Literary Women Series started two years ago to celebrate the achievements of women on both sides of the Atlantic.
"We hope people will join us and learn more about some the famous figures of the suffrage movement but also some of the women whose contributions have been overlooked."
‘’We’re looking forward to welcoming you to the People’s Palace for a weekend of suffrage centenary celebrations’’, said Saskia McCracken, PhD student and lead organiser of the event. ‘’We’re sure you’ll enjoy our crafts, collections, talks and maybe even a few suffragette songs - see you there!’’
The main speaker will be suffrage specialist and performer Naomi Paxton who will be talking transatlantic suffrage theatre, with a Scottish twist. Other speakers include Ruth Boreham (Scottish Book Trust) and Catherine Bateson (University of Edinburgh).
Fiona Hayes, the Social History curator for Glasgow Life will give a talk on the People’s Palace suffrage collection while her colleague, Alexandria Hribko, will introduce readings of suffrage letters and telegrams from the museum collection.
The two-day event is being held in collaboration with the People’s Palace Museum, Glasgow, and is being funded by the US Embassy London, the British Association for American Studies, and the University of Glasgow’s College of Arts Collaborative Research Award.
Full details of all the events can be found on the Transatlantic Literary Women blog or Twitter which are in the find out more section.
First published: 21 May 2018
<< 2018