Inspiring St Albans women are being celebrated in an exhibition at the new St Albans Museum + Gallery.
Artwork by Flea Cooke and John O’Leary is being showcased at the renovated town hall, which was finished in June, as part of its And So She Did season commemorating the centenary of women’s partial suffrage in 1918.
The pieces were created by the artists collaborating with the public, and are based on the lives of successful local women.
Featured personalities include the warrior queen Boudicca; suffragette Lady Constance Lytton; first female major of St Albans Margaret Wix; and Duchess of Marlborough Sarah Churchill.
The only living person to be commended is Syeda Momotaz Rahim, a Bangladeshi activist who is founder and director of Hertfordshire All Women’s Trust.
She said: “As a grassroots woman of British Commonwealth heritage, it is an honour and a privilege to be among such noble women of St Albans.
“Young girls and women should not let their social or economic background hinder their progression or contribution to society and every girl or woman given the opportunity can shine and make a difference.”
Syeda organises an annual peace vigil for the victims of the Manchester terror attack, is a member of the St Albans Women’s Interfaith Group, and is fund raising for the building of a new Fleetville Community Centre.
Each canvass of the collaborative artwork highlights a different women’s background, skills, and services.
Museums Manager at St Albans district council, Kate Warren, said: “In this centenary year we wanted to celebrate the many pioneering women connected to St Albans and inspire our visitors.
“It was wonderful to see so many families engaged in the activities, creating artworks and bringing the Assembly Room to life over the course of two weeks. We are thrilled to be able to extend this celebration beyond the summer and display the works in the Assembly Room at St Albans Museum + Gallery.”
Numerous events were hosted as part of the And So She Did season from August 20 to 30, including craft sessions, theatre workshops, live comedy, suffragette jujutsu, and a talk.
The exhibition has been indefinitely continued due to popular demand - see it at St Albans Museum + Gallery.
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