The Pankhurst Centre in Manchester - located at 62 Nelson Street where the suffragette movement founder Emmeline Pankhurst and her family lived from 1898 until 1907 – has faced a major setback following a break in to the Parlour area on 30 September 2019. This was the very part of the building where the first meeting of the suffragettes took place on the 10 October 1903 – and now a public fundraiser has been launched to help cover repairs and pay for the damage caused (pictured below). It can be supported here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/pankhurst-repair

Pankhurst Centre

Financial support at this difficult time will allow for crucial repairs to the sash windows, damaged soft furnishing and to replace damaged suffragette costumes.  It will also allow for an important upgrade to the alarm system, CCTV and lighting improvements, because sadly this incident follows previous break in attempts over recent weeks. Members of the public can therefore support the Grade II* listed building – a place many consider one of Manchester’s historic hidden gems – at a time of need.

The Pankhurst Centre has played a crucial role in history; a site of key women's activism, as well as continuing to exist as the only museum dedicated to telling the story of women’s fight for the right to vote.  It was here Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters Sylvia, Adela and Christabel lived for a number of years – and in the parlour Emmeline and a group of women formed the Women’s Social and Political Union, the group that became known as the suffragettes.

 Since 1987, 62 Nelson Street has been open to the public as a small museum dedicated to the women’s suffrage movement, their efforts and the Pankhurst family. The parlour had even been maintained to appear as it would have done in 1903 – and therefore funds will play a crucial help in restoring it back to its historic norm.

 In addition,  The Pankhurst Centre still serves today as the base of The Pankhurst Trust and headquarters of Manchester Women’s Aid; a charity that has been working for over 40 years to provide safety to victims of domestic abuse– and therefore support at such a time, is crucial.

Pankhurst Centre

Gail Heath, CEO of the Pankhurst Trust, says:

 “We are heartbroken that the Pankhurst Centre, which symbolises so much in the campaign for women’s equality should suffer this set back.  It’s also a tragedy, and extremely sad, that it was someone seeking shelter for the night that led to this incident.

“We are already a museum fighting for our future, our current survival depends upon the support of volunteers and donations, with no public funding in place.  This major set back comes as we near the eve of the anniversary of the founding of the suffragette movement, which we plan to mark with events, family fun, tea parties in the parlour, talks and much more beginning from 8 October.  We will continue with the planned programme of activities, galvanised by the persistence of spirit of the suffragettes, as this is the only way we know how.”

 The building after all has provided an inspiring place to visit – usually open to the public on Thursdays from 10am - 4pm and from 1pm to 4pm on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month. In 2018 it was a key venue for the national celebrations marking the centenary of the first women achieving the vote.

Free to enter and grateful for donations, it is hoped that support will allow the building to continue in its crucial work for many years to come.

For further information on the Pankhurst Centre visit www.PankhurstTrust.org. In addition, whilst the Pankhurst Trust is reaching out to people for support, it is also very mindful of those vulnerable people who find themselves homeless.  It has emphasised these as key sources of information and support: