Friends of Edith Rigby

21/08/2026

Join us on Saturday 12th September in The Studio at The Harris for our Heritage Open Days “Suffrage Signs of Resistance” workshop 💜🤍💚

📣 Placard making workshop for all:
Discover the power of visual protest in this hands on history and making workshop.

Make your own protest placard used by two major interlinking historical movements; the suffragettes fighting for the vote and the early industrial workforce striking for fair labour conditions.

📸Showcase your finished placard by joining us for a group “protest” photo outside Edith’s former home at 27 Winckley Square after the workshop ❤️‍🔥

https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/suffrage-signs-of-resistance.html

18/08/2026

We are awaiting further updates from the councils Empty Heritage Building Strategy Group meeting this week.

Long story short, the 1st floor (original part) of Edith’s former home is at risk of collapse because of sheer neglect.

This is unacceptable.

The owners of this building are only doing the BARE minimum required of them because of orders from Preston City Council and pressure from FoER & Preserving Preston’s Heritage.

Edith deserves better.

💜🤍💚

(Photo’s from documentation publicly available via Preston City Council’s planning portal https://selfservice.preston.gov.uk/service/planning/ApplicationSearch.aspx - application number 06/2026/0661)

P.S the current green steel support needles in the photo’s have been there for a very long time (can’t remember off the top of my head but at least 6 months & I’m being generous there).
So the owners clearly already knew the building’s structure was at risk way before the most recent works order from the council.

23/07/2026

🕯️ Remembering Edith Rigby 🕯️
(18 October 1872 – 23 July 1950)

Today marks the anniversary of the passing of Edith Rigby - a fearless suffragette, activist, and tireless campaigner for social justice.
Born and raised in Preston, she dedicated her life not just to the fight for women’s suffrage, but to improving the lives of the working-class and the poor in her hometown.

She was a rebel in the truest sense - unafraid to challenge the expectations of her time, and unwavering in her belief that a better world was possible.

“Surely, there are some people who will not let the wonderful heritage found by us… be lost, through neglect and lack of interest, to the generations of men who are to follow us?” - Edith Rigby (excerpt from The Rebel Suffragette: The Life of Edith Rigby, by Beverley Adams)

Let us be those people. Let us honour Edith’s legacy; not just in memory, but in action.

02/07/2026

Today, we celebrate 98 years since women won the right to vote on the same terms as men.

No ifs, no buts, no unnecessary property restrictions.

Passed on 2nd July, the Representation of the People Act 1928 was the result of decades of struggles and campaigning. And we reckon that deserves more than a Facebook post.

That's why we're partnering with museums, charities, and community groups nationwide to celebrate 100 years of equal franchise in 2028.

Want to get involved?
Head to hervote100.org to learn more.

05/06/2026

Lytham’s Suffragette, Nurse and Guardian of the Poor - The Forgotten Life of Mary Johnson

We are very busy at the moment working on our funded projects which will allow us to display the stories of the Preston WSPU branch.

In the meantime, here is a little bit about one of the women we’re including in our interpretation. Mary Johnson worked alongside Edith Rigby to broaden the reach of the WSPU - successfully running the Lytham and St Anne’s district.

31/05/2026

Look at this special piece by Simon - we love it SO much!

We think Edith would’ve loved it too💜🤍💚

The House of Edith Rigby, 28 Winckley Square

1872-1950
Suffragette secretary of Preston Branch Women's Social and Political Union.

Friends of Edith Rigby

22/05/2026

WE HAVE FUNDING 🙏 🥳

So excited to share that we have received two lots of funding - one from Uni of Lancashire and the other from Uni of Warwick in connection with Mapping Suffrage.

This funding will allow us to produce good quality, engaging interpretation boards to share the stories of the Preston WSPU beyond history books and into public memory. It’ll also fund future projects/workshops that we have in the works with some VERY exciting companies.

We are a voluntary organisation who are committed to all of the women we’ve researched - here are some overviews of just a few of the women whose stories we will be sharing thanks to these funded opportunities.

DEEDS NOT WORDS

07/05/2026

Do the suffragettes proud… Remember to vote today!

Tag us with your polling station selfie!

10/04/2026

The statues are hoped to be "an inspiration for the children" of Preston- full story & pics below⬇️

10/04/2026