Women’s History Month @ Bruce Castle Museum & Archive
March is Women’s History Month, and this year’s theme is ‘Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories’.
At Bruce Castle Museum & Archive we have lots of themed events coming up to recognise the women of Haringey, past and present, and the stories they have told.
From children’s activities, to walks and talks, to adult art workshops, there is something for everyone!
(Other March events will be advertised in a separate email)
Family Activities
March’s free Family Activities are inspired by the life and legacy of Priscilla Wakefield (1751-1832) – in particular her work on girl’s education and women’s economic emancipation.
A former resident of Tottenham and Quaker philanthropist, Priscilla Wakefield is an often-overlooked woman whose educational reforms, feminist economic work, abolitionist campaigning and charitable work for women and children living in poverty, formed a life dedicated to social action.
Find out more about Priscilla Wakefield on a fantastic website curated by friend of Bruce Castle, Margaret Burr: Priscilla Wakefield: Tottenham activist
Mrs Priscilla Wakefield silhouette and portrait, © Bruce Castle Museum & Archive
Alphabet Books
Sunday 5 March
Drop-in 1.30-3.30pm
Free
Head down to our activity room and try your hand at printing. In this workshop little ones will learn how to use paint, rollers, and sponges, to create an alphabet book inspired by Priscilla Wakefield.
This activity is open to children of all ages but most suitable for ages 3 to 7 years old.
Penny Piggy Pots
Sunday 19 March
Drop-in 1.30-3.30pm
Free
Get hands on with air dry clay! Join our artist and make a special piggy bank or penny pot in our clay workshop, remembering Priscilla Wakefield of Tottenham, who introduced the first Penny Savings Bank.
This activity is suitable for ages 6 to 12 years old.
Walking Tours
Tottenham Women’s History Walk – North Tottenham
Wednesday 8 March
10.30am-12.30pm
Free
Meeting point: At 10.15am at the main entrance/clocktower of Bruce Castle Museum & Archive, Lordship Lane, Tottenham N17 8NU
Wednesday 8th March 2023 is International Women’s Day. Join Carol Hebbs of Tottenham Heritage Walks on this day for a free walking tour of North Tottenham to pay homage to the great women who left their stamp on Tottenham. The tour will explore the lives of women athletes, artists, film and stage actors, suffragettes, radicals, and revolutionaries not forgetting a silk weaving Huguenot, and an education reformer and philanthropist.
This circular tour will commence and conclude at Bruce Castle Museum where you will be able view the current exhibition by the artist Beatrice Offor.
Places are limited for this walk and must be booked via Eventbrite. As our series of walks are popular, please let us know as soon as possible if you are no longer able to attend so we can reallocate your free ticket.
For any queries, please email [email protected]
Tottenham Women’s History Walk – High Road to Bruce Castle
Sunday 12 March
11am-1pm
Free
Meeting point: 11am outside Costa Coffee, 261 Tottenham High Road, N15
Tour ends at Bruce Castle Museum & Archive, N17
Take a walk around Tottenham with tour guide Avril Nanton – author of ‘Black London’ – as she looks at the history of some of the women in Haringey, in particular the black women who lived, worked, or visited Tottenham.
This walk for Women’s History Month takes in the historic heart of Tottenham from the High Road to Bruce Castle. Along the way, discover more about the lives of local Black women from the past three centuries who have lived, worked, and made history in Tottenham.
From Sarah Claret at All Hallows in 1770 and nurse Sister Freda in 1900, to more recent histories of the seven sisters who planted trees and Tottenham’s first black comedy club run by a woman. Come along and hear their fascinating stories, and those of many other African/ Caribbean women of Tottenham.
Avril Nanton is a fully qualified tour guide who regularly does walks and tours around Haringey, looking at Black life. This special free walk is organised by Bruce Castle Museum & Archive with Avril’s Walks and Talks.
Please dress for the weather and wear suitable footwear.
All welcome. Booking is essential via Avril’s Website.
Haringey Women’s History Walk – Pioneers and Pleasure: Crouch End Women
Saturday 18 March
11am-1.30pm
Free
Meeting point: 11am outside Hornsey Library, Haringey Park, Crouch End N8 9JA
Did you know Hornsey had a woman MP in the 1950s, when there were only 20 or so in total in the Commons? It also was the site of the first women’s football match, and it retains a 1920s lido as well as a former music hall.
Join your guide Oonagh Gay on this free walking tour and learn more about Crouch End’s women from the past. Amongst the women featured, you will discover more about a top level civil servant, suffragettes, a Victorian philanthropist and a female balloonist.
Places are limited so booking is essential – free tickets are available via Eventbrite.
If you are no longer able to take up your place, please let us know in good time so we can reallocate your ticket. For any queries, please email [email protected]
Oonagh Gay is a fully qualified tour guide who regularly does walks and tours around Haringey and London with Islington Guided Walks.
Crouch End Tower 1909, © Bruce Castle Museum & Archive. The Clock Tower at Crouch End was an important rallying point for the Suffragettes.
Curator Talks
March’s Curator’s Picks will celebrate two inspiring female artists whose works are on display at Bruce Castle: Beatrice Offor and Henrietta Townsend.
Bite-Size Gallery Talk: Sister, Siren or Saint? Beatrice Offor’s Art
Thursday 23 March
3-4pm
Free
Come along to this bite-size gallery talk with one of our Young Curators, Annabel Gee, as she tells us more about a chosen painting in the Beatrice Offor (1864-1920) exhibition of portraits of women at Bruce Castle Museum.
All welcome. Please book your free place via Eventbrite.
Bite-Size Gallery Talk, Curator’s Pick: Outcast, Foreigner and Artist – the Lady of the Manor, Henrietta Townsend of Bruce Castle
Thursday 30 March
3-4pm
Free
Join curator Deborah Hedgecock in the galleries as she shows the exquisite artwork by Henrietta Townsend of Bruce Castle and shares stories of Henrietta’s struggles in 18th century society to become Lady of the Manor.
Please book your free place for this in-person event at the Museum via Eventbrite.
For any queries, please email [email protected]
Lady Henrietta Townsend, © Bruce Castle Museum & Archive
Creative Craft and Upcycling Morning Workshop with Siân Dorman
Saturday 18 March
10.30am-1pm
Free
This Women’s History Month join Siân Dorman at Bruce Castle as she shares her crafting skills and creative ideas at this morning workshop.
Using upcycled fabrics and recycled materials, you can be inspired to make a unique, handmade, and lovely piece of jewellery – one that is sustainable and also in good time for that special woman in your life for Mothering Sunday.
All welcome – from novices to experienced crafters.
Materials and refreshments supplied.
Places are limited so booking is essential via the Museum. Please email [email protected]
Reminiscence Café
From PE knickers and plimsolls – to designer shorts and trainers
Tuesday 14 March
2-4pm
Free
Women’s sport has come a long way since I was young. Women athletes are up there with the best, as our football team has shown, in spite of years of underfunding and lack of recognition. Fortunately, other sports have been more open-minded and we have long had national and international women champions in tennis, cycling, athletics, gymnastics and ice skating, to name but a few.
Who were your women heroes in sport? Did you follow them on television, or go to see them in action? What sports did you do when you were at school and what did you particularly like? I was an enthusiastic, albeit rather short, netball player, and I loved the informal street cricket and rounders when I was young.
But after school, did you carry on with sports? Swimming and tennis, perhaps, but maybe there was less opportunity for team games, such as netball or football. What kept you active after you left school?
Drop in and Draw @ The Castle
Saturday 4 March 10.30am-1pm
Saturday 11 March 10.30am-1pm
Saturday 25 March, all day event 10.30am-3pm
Join local artist and tutor Susan Bryan at Bruce Castle Museum, a perfect setting for drawing. These lovely, relaxed workshops for absolute beginners in drawing provide a great chance to release your inner artist in a unique and inspiring Grade 1 listed building.
Art materials and refreshments included.
Tickets are £12 for 10.30am-1pm sessions and can be booked via Eventbrite.
An Eventbrite link for the all day event on 25 March will be available soon.
For more Haringey Women’s History, check out this fantastic resource: Women’s History Maps | Haringey Council Compiled by Bruce Castle Museum & Archive, artist Siân Pattenden and Haringey Council’s Culture Team, these Women’s History Maps allow you to curate your own walking tours in Tottenham, Hornsey and Wood Green.
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