Annie Kenney

Image: © David Dixon Taken: 14 Dec 2018

The new statue of suffragette Annie Kenney https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Kenney was unveiled outside the Old Town Hall in Parliament Square on Friday, 14th December 2018, the same day as the unveiling of the Emmeline Pankhurst statue in Manchester (Image]) . The date was specially chosen because it marked exactly 100 years since British women were first allowed to vote and stand as candidates at a General Election (https://goo.gl/Qw9Krq Guardian report from 1918). Kenney was the only working class woman to hold a senior position in the Women's Social and Political Union. Kenney attracted the attention of the press and public in 1905 when she and Christabel Pankhurst were imprisoned for several days for assault and obstruction, after heckling Sir Edward Grey at a Liberal rally in Manchester. It was seen as a pivotal moment in the campaign for the vote, when the suffragettes moved towards more radical, direct protest. Kenney was imprisoned 13 times and took part in hunger strikes. The life-like statue, designed by sculptor Denise Dutton, portrays Annie decked out in the famous “Votes for Women” sash and ringing a bell.

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