Our Sculptor at Work

Our sculptor Denise Dutton is hard at work on the maquette, doing the delicate work on facial features – a challenging task, given we have so few photographs and many of those we do have are of poor quality. One of Mary’s most endearing qualities was her lack of egoism and consequent quiet refusal to promote herself. However, this is causing real difficulties for those wishing…

Terri Bell Halliwell of inVISIBLEwomen supports the Appeal

Terri Bell Halliwell spear heads a national Brighton-based campaign to get more statues for women. She has been an inspiration to use and a consistent supporter from the start. She writes as follows: “Mary Clarke is one of the great band of wonderful  women who have been ignored by the powers that select those suitable for public commemoration. Civic statues in the UK – and…

A New Banner for Mary

Jenny Engledow is well known in Brighton as a human rights and peace campaigner. What is less well known is that she is an excellent seamstress and embroiderer and has made beautiful banners for a range of causes. Many local people will have seen the beautiful banner Jenny made to celebrate the 2018 Centenary of women’s partial achievement of the Vote. It was based on…

New Mayor offers Support

On Tuesday 23rd June 2020, on a lovely sunny day as lock-down was just beginning to ease, the new Mayor of Brighton & Hove, Councillor Alan Robins, in full mayoral robes, visited us at the Royal Pavilion Gardens near the entrance to the Museum. He was there to show his support for the proposed statue for Mary Clarke and was accompanied by the Mayoral Consort…

Obituary for Mary Clarke published in Votes for Women 6th January 1911. 

Introductory Note from Jean Calder This was the text of the Oration delivered at Mary Clarke’s Memorial meeting in Brighton. It is a heart-rending speech, made by Emmeline Pethick Lawrence, a woman  who knew Mary well and who, with Emmeline Pankhurst, was one of the outstanding leaders of the suffrage movement. It identifies Mary as an influential and well-loved leader of the movement, while conveying anger,…

Eminent Historian Elizabeth Crawford O.B.E. joins Charity as Patron

We are thrilled that Elizabeth Crawford, probably the best known British historian of the Suffrage Movement, has agreed to be one of our Patrons. She joins eminent Professor June Purvis, who is an expert on the history of the Pankhursts and wrote acclaimed biographiesof Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst. Elizabeth Crawford is an historian and a dealer in books and ephemera by and about women. Her…

Concert for Mary Clarke Statue Raises £4,500

On 4th March, internationally-acclaimed jazz singers Claire Martin and Liane Carroll gave their much-anticipated concert at St George’s Church in aid of the Appeal. The concert was hosted in sparkling style by comedian Zoe Lyons and the hugely effective appeal for donations was made by broadcaster Simon Fanshawe, one of our Patrons. After all expenses had been met, the event raised £4,500. Cllr Alex Phillips, Mayor of Brighton…

Tickets on Sale for “Double Standards” – the Claire Martin and Liane Carroll Benefit Concert 4th March.

.Tickets are on sale for the Claire Martin and Liane Carroll Benefit Concert on 4th March at St George’s Church, Kemp Town in Brighton. “Double Standards – an evening of jazz and joy” in support of the Appeal, will start at 7.00pm and finish at 9.00pm, though the cash Bar will remain open and audience members are welcome to stay, make music and socialise. Doors…

Comedian Zoe Lyons to MC “Double Standards” Jazz Concert 4th March

Brighton-based comedian Zoe Lyons has agreed to act as MC on 4th March at our benefit concert “Double Standards”. Like our great singers, Claire Martin and Liane Carroll, she is in huge demand. We  are so grateful she is making the time to be there and proud to have her support for the statue of Mary Clarke. Zoe took her first steps down the comedy…

Sculptor Denise Dutton begins Work

Our chosen sculptor, Denise Dutton, has begun the early painstaking stages of her work. This will result in a small exact bronze model of what will eventually become the statue. Denise has been researching the clothing  women of Mary Clarke’s time would have worn. She is already knowledgeable, because she sculpted the statue of suffragette Annie Kenney in Oldham. She has been working with an…

Mary Clarke Statue Appeal