| Pankhurst Centre | |
|---|---|
 The Pankhurst Centre | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Edwardian |
| Location | 60–62 Nelson Street,Manchester, England |
| Year built | c. 1840[1] |
| Designations | |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | The Pankhurst Centre |
| Designated | 9 June 1974 |
| Reference no. | 1197896 |
| Website | |
| pankhursttrust.org | |
The Pankhurst Centre, also known as The Pankhurst Museum, at 60–62 Nelson Street inManchester, England, comprises a pair of Victorian villas, of which No. 62 was the home ofEmmeline Pankhurst and her daughtersSylvia,Christabel andAdela[2] and the birthplace of thesuffragette movement in 1903.[3]The Pankhurst Centre is home to the Pankhurst Trust. The building is currently used as the Pankhurst Museum, as well as being the headquarters of Manchester Women's Aid.
62 Nelson Street was the home ofEmmeline Pankhurst at the time she founded theWomen's Social and Political Union in 1903.[4] She moved there after the death of her husband,Richard Pankhurst, in 1898.
On 9 June 1974, the site became aGrade II* listed building.[4] In 1978 there was an application submitted to demolish the building, sparking a notable protest to keep the building as a museum and centre committed to women's issues.
Theparlour was the first room in the Pankhurst Centre to be redecorated and was the centre of attraction whenBarbara Castle andHelen Pankhurst opened the centre on 10 October 1987.[5]
The centre would merge with ManchesterWomen's Aid in 2014 to offer women's charity services.[6]
TheRepresentation of the People Act 1918 gave the vote to all men aged 21 and over and women aged 30 and over who met certain property qualifications. In its centenary year of 2018, calls were made to fund the Pankhurst Centre to make it a major museum that tells the story of women's suffrage and the women's rights movement.[7]
The Pankhurst Centre suffered a break-in on 1 October 2019. Since then, donations have been made to repair the damage, including £10,000 fromThe Co-operative Group.[8]
The centre reopened on 29 August 2021 after a major redevelopment project in the two galleries and the parlour during 2020.[9]
The Pankhurst's villas provide awomen-only space drop-in every Wednesday from 12pm to 2pm which creates a unique environment for women to learn together, work on projects and socialise.[10]
Part of the centre is a museum,The Pankhurst Parlour, which has become a memorial to the suffragette movement. ItsEdwardian style furnishings evoke the home of Pankhurst and her daughters. It is the only museum dedicated to telling the story of women's fight for the right to vote.
The Pankhurst Centre is run by volunteers and receives no public funding, relying solely on donations.
In September 2018, a newly designed garden by Janet Leigh (a garden designer based inStockport), was opened at the Pankhurst Centre. The garden marks the centenary of Votes for Women, and acknowledges the work of suffragettes. The garden was funded by an outsourcing campaign, with over 500 people contributing over £24,000 in 2017. The garden also provides a relaxation space for the women and children residents of Manchester Women's Aid.[11]
53°27′47″N2°13′39″W / 53.46306°N 2.22750°W /53.46306; -2.22750
