Beverley Guildhall Exhibition Explores Towns ‘Extraordinary Women’

Beverley Guildhall has this week opened a new exhibition that is called Extraordinary Women.

The exhibition looks at women from the town who have made their mark in history for a whole host of reasons.

While some of the ladies featured may be known to you, others included are certainly less obvious.

From feminists to engineers, all the women featured have links to the town. Some of which have a more unusual story. 

Fiona Jenkinson, curator at the Beverley Guildhall says she hopes some of the women picked out will interest visitors. Speaking about the exhibition she said;

“It is actually quite difficult to see women in history, which is dominated by the achievements of men.”

“Those women who have stood out are mainly those who have produced a lasting legacy, such as artworks or books.”

“This exhibition features a number of these women. They include Mary Elwell, Mary Wollstonecraft and also Hilda Lyon, an aviation engineer.”

Hilda attended Beverley High School over 100 years ago. She was best known for inventing the Lyon Shape. This streamlined shape was used in the production of both submarines and airships.

Beverley Guildhall Will Be Open During Christmas Festival

Some of the women with links to the town have a more unusual history, Fiona added;

“We have also found women such as Annie Woodmansey. She is a well-regarded Beverley washerwoman and Ann Sutton, who ran a body-snatcher gang on Beckside.”

“We hope people will find these women equally as interesting as those who were perhaps more memorable.”

One hundred years since women were given the right to vote, this exhibition has been set up to celebrate that key time in our history.

Beverley Guildhall will also be open from 10AM to 3PM on Sunday, 9 December. This is the same weekend that the Festival of Christmas takes place in the town.

Also over the same weekend, there will be a host of activities for children in the historic courtroom. For those wishing to get away from the crowds, they can enjoy refreshments in the parlour.