Emmeline Pankhurst was born in Manchester, and she and her family lived at number 62 Nelson Street from 1898 until 1907. The first meeting of the movement that became known as the Suffragettes took place in the parlour of this house. Today, the house has been transformed into a museum where visitors can learn the story of women’s fight for the right to vote.

The building sits in the Oxford Road Campus of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Europe’s largest healthcare and research campus. Each year, the Pankhurst Centre pays a peppercorn rent in the form of a suffragette sash to its landlord. The ceremony has taken place for over 30 years, with a handmade sash in the iconic colours of the suffragette movement, white, purple and green, exchanged on each occasion.

This year’s presentation was particularly poignant as it marked 120 years since the Women’s Social and Political Union, which would become known as the Suffragettes, was founded. The sash was presented to the Chairman of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Kathy Cowell OBE DL, by the Chair of the Pankhurst Trust, Caroline Roberts-Cherry, and CEO of the Pankhurst Trust, Gail Heath.

The presentation occurred under the watchful eye of Emmeline Pankhurst’s St Peter’s Square statue. The sculpture was erected in 2018 and marked the 100th anniversary of the Representation of the People Act, in which some women first won the right to vote in Britain. That day, thousands marched down Oxford Road chanting ‘deeds not words’ as they made their way to the unveiling of Hazel Reeves’ statue, Rise up, women.

‘It was an honour as Chair of the Pankhurst Trust to hand over our rent, a suffragette sash, to our landlord, MFT. It’s always inspiring being in the presence of Emmeline’s statute, and Kathy and I reflected on her bravery and vision’, said Caroline Roberts-Cherry.

The peppercorn rent is a reflection of MFT’s support for the Pankhurst Trust, which includes the two working together to develop a maintenance plan that will support the challenges faced in maintaining a Grade II* listed building and allow them to continue sharing the story of the Pankhurst family and inspire visitors to action.

‘I’m very proud that our trust is home to the Pankhurst Centre, an institution built by women, for women, which has a tremendous historical legacy and continues vital work today’, said Kathy Cowell. ‘The sash represents an ever-constant call to equality – as women, we have come such a long way, but the journey is not yet complete; Emmeline is pointing off into the distance, as that is where we still need to go, ahead to full equality.’

Gail Heath added, ‘Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters set out to change the course of history, all from a small house in radical Manchester, the Pankhurst Centre. She would be proud to know that the activism she inspired continues to this day through our heritage and equalities work and our mission to end violence against women and girls through Manchester Women’s Aid.’

The heritage centre is open to the general public from 11am until 4pm on Thursdays and Sundays. You can discover the home lives of Emmeline Pankhurst and her family and how Emmeline’s experience of radical politics in Manchester led her to begin her fight for equality.