Those of you reading this will probably know that since the Appeal was set up we have consistently argued that the statue, when it is made, should be situated in the Gardens of the Royal Pavilion, near the entrance of the Museum and its modern education block. We wanted a safe site where school parties, families and tourist groups could gather, absorb information, listen to…
Our grateful thanks to Vicky and Chris Kilburn who have just raised a fabulous £1190 for the Appeal. They celebrate their fiftieth birthdays this year and generously asked friends to donate to the Appeal instead of giving them birthday presents. We rely completely upon our wonderful volunteers, the youngest of whom is eight and the oldest over eighty. They all do what they can to…
Today is 4th July 2024, the date of the General Election. We wish all candidates the very best of luck , especially remembering our Patrons, former M.P.s Peter Kyle for Labour and Maria Caulfield for the Conservatives, both of whom are candidates for election today. Our Green Patron, Caroline Lucas has recently stood down from her service as a member of Parliament. We thank her…
On Monday 25 March 2024 the Mayor of Brighton & Hove Cllr Jackie O’Quinn, hosted a Reception at Brighton Town Hall for the young volunteers of the Mary Clarke Statue Appeal. This was arranged by the Mayor with the Appeal trustees, who wanted to thank the girls for their support. None of the girls were able to attend on 12 December when Mary Clarke was…
This powerful and moving poem was written by Cllr Mitchie Alexander and read by her at a special meeting of Brighton & Hove City Council on 14th December 2022. She read it in support of the motion to posthumously award Mary the Freedom of the City. Mary Clarke 1862-1910 The First Suffragette to die for the cause “I wear my purple sleeves with pride, You…
Mary Clarke was posthumously awarded the freedom of the city of Brighton and Hove at a special council meeting at Hove Town on Thursday 14 December 2023. This followed a wonderful Reception for trustees of the Mary Clarke Statue Appeal and supporters, hosted by the Mayor Jackie O’Quinn. Briony Goulden, Mary’s great-great-niece, and a trustee of the Appeal, accepted the honour, assisted by her daughters…
Mary Clarke is to be honoured by the posthumous award of the Freedom of the City, a wonderful tribute. The award is to be made at a special meeting of Brighton & Hove City Council at 3.30pm on Thursday 14 December at Hove Town Hall. Mary Clarke Statue Appeal Trustee Briony Goulden, and her two daughters Sophie and Lena, will receive the award on…
Local historian Marion Bance recently kindly offered to write an article about Mary Clarke for the Preston Pages and other associated free neighbourhood magazines. It was published last month. The link is below. http://www.prestonpages.com/brightonhistory/recognising-heroine We are so grateful to Marion and to the magazine editor who generously agreed to run the story, despite the fact she’d published something about Mary in September 2020. Please read…
There will be a very informal talk about Mary Clarke on Saturday 26th November at 11.00am, on the ground floor of the Jubilee Library in Brighton, entitled “The Forgotten Sister”. It will be led by our Chair of Trustees Jean Calder and will be followed by discussion. The staff at the Jubilee Library invited us to help mark the United Nation’s annual International Day for…
Balfour Primary School’s Summer Fair, on July 16, was the setting for our first school stall and cake sale. Organised by the Mary’s Lamp group of Year 4 girls, it raised more than £60 in aid of the Mary Clarke Statue Appeal, selling ‘Mary Cakes’, our version of traditional fairy cakes. The Mary’s Lamp girls’ group was set up by River Isaac, our first Child…