Have loved this thread! Thank you everyone!

 

 

 

Not quite the same theme as this thread but worth mentioning in this context. Last night Inking Women, with works by over 80 women cartoonists, was opened by Sandi Toksvig at the Cartoon Museum in Little Russell Street, Bloomsbury. Many of the contributors are young (and were there in force), though the oldest works by Mary Darly date from about 1770. Though there is clearly no "woman cartoonist" style, the subject matter of their works shows wonderful sensitivities to everyday life. It continues until 23 July - nothing like it has been done before! I should declare an interest - I am a trustee! (see @Cartoonmuseumuk)

 

Val Bott

 

Val Bott MBE MA FMA, museum consultant & historian
25 Hartington Road, London W4 3TL. 020 8995 7413
valbott.co.uk nurserygardeners.com williamhogarthtrust.org.uk

 

Hi folks,

 

This is a fascinating thread, thanks everyone. Many moons ago, I wrote my undergraduate dissertation on representations of the WSPU and NUWSS by second-wave feminists, who constructed a more positive image of their predecessors when creating their own media, as a direct response to the ‘hysterical women’ portrayals that had come before. Interesting to consider how things have changed since then: or not, as the case may sadly be…

 

I also thoroughly recommend The Women’s Library, and another great place to look is the amazing online Girl Museum, giving space to the stories of girls and girlhood throughout history. Lots of fascinating mini-exhibitions and well-researched blog entries.

 

Kirsty, your project sounds brilliant. Good luck with it all!

 

Chloe

Chloe Grant

Formal Learning Officer 

Office: 01823 347453

Work mobile: 07961674134

Email: [log in to unmask]

www.swheritage.org.uk

 

Learning Team

South West Heritage Trust, Somerset Heritage Centre, Brunel Way, Norton Fitzwarren, Taunton, TA2 6SF

From: List for discussion of issues in museum education in the UK. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Eleanor Payne
Sent: 27 April 2017 13:29
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Female Representation in Museums

 

Hi everyone

Coming in rather late here but wanted to mention the following …

The Vote 100 project Parliament Archives are running https://www.parliament.uk/vote100

Also the amazing Women’s Library Collection, at LSE Library… http://www.lse.ac.uk/Library/Collections/Collection-highlights/The-Womens-Library

Best wishes

Eleanor

 

From: List for discussion of issues in museum education in the UK. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Jenni Waugh
Sent: 27 April 2017 13:09
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Female Representation in Museums

 

Really enjoying this debate and thanks so much to everyone who has pitched in. Getting names and modes of address right is a huge part of the battle – not once would I have dreamed of calling Gertrude Jekyll anything other than Miss Jekyll in interpretive text!

 

The issue regarding the descriptors used for suffragettes is particularly pertinent during the current rash of heritage activities and exhibitions commemorating their protests and looking forward to next year’s centenary of the Representation of the People Act.  Suffragettes/suffragists were belittled in every possible way during their protests. The National Portrait Gallery exhibition ‘The Beautiful and the Damned’ brought up how photography and portrait representation of suffragettes was used against them.  It hardly serves our purposes as historians and interpreters of the women’s social and political history to continue to disrespect them now with the language we use to present them.

 

Last September, whilst I was attending the Women’s History Network conference, a lovely museum put out a request for ideas regarding the name of their planned Suffragette Gallery – tweeted suggestions included ‘Protestors in Petticoats’, and the next alliterative step, ‘Protestors in pantaloons’... (both were rejected).  I threw the question out into the lecture hall and much debate ensued about how often suffragettes (and female protestors in general) have been belittled by both contemporaries and historians by allusion to their clothing, general appearance and additionally, their potential sexual orientation, in a way that male protestors seldom are.

 

I would actively encourage any of you thinking about putting together a paper on this to go for it.  And then to submit it to next year’s Women’s History Network conference so I can hear it please!

 

All the best

 

Jenni

 

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