MARKING International Women’s Day 2021, curators from Museums & Galleries Edinburgh have taken the opportunity to shine a spotlight on a selection of fascinating women from Edinburgh’s past.
Running from March 8-12, the series profiles five pioneering women whose lives are reflected in the city’s history collections.
They include Ella Morrison Millar, Edinburgh’s first female town councillor; Nannie (Agnes Henderson) Brown, a prominent suffragist; Lileen Hardy, who opened the St Saviour’s Child Garden in the Canongate; Helen Monro Turner, who founded the studio glass department at Edinburgh College of Art and Ena Thomson, who served as an air raid warden in the Second World War.
The story of each woman is explored and showcased using linked objects from the collection which include a studio portrait of Nannie Brown and ARP identification papers for Ena Thomson. These objects and many others have been unearthed as part of the ongoing Auld Reekie Retold inventory project which is working to connect Edinburgh’s people to its collections.
From March 8, the curators will reveal full details of each woman’s story alongside the items from the collection which connects their own unique history, providing compelling insights into the city’s history.
The series is accompanied by a programme of free digital lectures and family events.
Commenting on the series, councillor Amy McNeese-Mechan, vice-convener of the council’s Culture and Community Committee said: “It is fascinating to learn about how our collections both preserve and mirror the work of women in Edinburgh’s civic and cultural life.
“This series shines a light on five women who made significant contributions to our city’s history but who sadly are far from well known.
“I hope the stories of these wonderful women will inspire you, and I look forward to more discoveries from the Auld Reekie Retold project.”
For full details and bookings visit edinburghmuseums.org.uk/whats-on.
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