Wakefield to celebrate pioneering abolitionist and newspaper owner on International Women's Day

Ann Hurst was not just Wakefield’s first female newspaper proprietor, she was also at the forefront of the anti-slavery movement - and now her incredible achievements are to be celebrated with a blue plaque in her honour which will be unveiled on International Women’s Day.

The plaque recognising her achievements will be revealed in the Wakefield Upper Westgate High Street Heritage Action Zone on March 8.

It is part of the Visionary Westgate Women and Forgotten Women of Wakefield campaign, which sets out to achieve blue plaque parity in Wakefield by 2028 - by researching notable local women and awarding blue plaques inscribed with their names – to be placed on buildings to which they have a connection.

When the initiative started in 2018, there were only four plaques dedicated to women in the city, compared to more than 30 for men. Hurst’s plaque will be the 14th to be installed since the project began in memory of women who made important contributions to Wakefield but whose stories had often been overlooked for generations.

Hurst was a visionary newspaper owner who, when she took over the running of The Wakefield and Halifax Journal in 1825, decided to support not only the abolitionist movement in Wakefield, but the early suffragist and temperance movement by printing positive propaganda pieces for the cause.

Sarah Cobham, director of Dream Time Creative and leader of the ‘Forgotten Women’ project, says: “As ever, the women from Wakefield’s past continue to astound me with their tenacity and in Ann Hurst’s case, pure vision. It is an honour to be able to deliver creative workshops based on research by our key researcher, Helga Fox, to enable people to understand just how important Ann was to our city.

“As ever, here at Dream Time Creative we take inspiration from the actions and attitudes of our Forgotten Women and learn from them. Ann created history and I am delighted that we are part of the historical and cultural renascence that is happening as a result of the funding from Historic England and the vision of Wakefield Council at this time.”

Councillor Jacquie Speight, cabinet member for Culture, Leisure and Sport, at Wakefield Council, says: “It is fantastic that Ann’s story and her place in the history of our district will be much more widely known and recognised now and in the years to come. I am so pleased that we can ensure that Ann and other remarkable women, who contributed so much to the district’s history, are being honoured to reflect the huge contributions they made to society.”

Kevin Trickett, chair of Wakefield Civic Society, said: “The Society’s partnership with Dream Time Creative on their Forgotten Women of Wakefield project goes from strength and I am delighted to be working with Sarah Cobham and her team of researchers on uncovering the story of Ann Hurst, Wakefield’s first female newspaper proprietor and a ‘mover and shaker’ in Wakefield’s anti-slavery movement.

"This particular plaque is being delivered as part of our contribution to the Upper Westgate Heritage Action Zone project, funded by Historic England and Wakefield Council, to improve the appearance of both the public realm and some of the buildings in the Upper Westgate Conservation Area.

"As part of the overall project, the Society has been allocated funds to put up some additional blue plaques and to undertake research into the history of the area but we don’t just want to talk about the buildings, we want to learn about the people associated with the street and it’s very satisfying that our first plaque as part of the Heritage Action Zone project is not only to a woman with a strong connection to Westgate but is also one with such an interesting story to tell.”

Nicky Brown from Historic England says: “The aim of the Wakefield Upper Westgate High Street Heritage Action Zone is to breathe new life into this part of the town by making the most of its special and unique heritage. Recognising the achievements of Wakefield women like Ann Hurst and publicly honouring them with plaques will play an important role in making Upper Westgate a more attractive place for local people and visitors.”

Wakefield Council, in partnership with Historic England, are co-funding the Wakefield Upper Westgate High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) programme, which is providing £3.9million worth of investment into renovating Upper Westgate’s historic buildings, and adjacent yards and ginnels.

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