March 2024
This month as we support International Women’s Day, we have asked our member venues to tell us all about the women connected to their venues who they wish to recognise for their achievements. Our venues have delighted us with an array of fascinating stories demonstrating that women have undertaken the most amazing contributions and activities during their lives. Details include the first women to become a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers who also founded of the Women’s Engineering Society, a female surgeon who carried out groundbreaking research into rickets and anaemia, an iconic palaeontologist and fossil collector whose spectacular finds can still be admired today and more recently the achievements of the Head of Operations for the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust.
Image credit: One Birdcage Walk - Verena Holmes President of the Womens Engineering Society 1930
One Birdcage Walk, home of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, is celebrating a milestone this year. 2024 marks 100 years since the first woman became a member of the Institution.
Verena Winifred Holmes was born in Kent in 1889 and was elected to Associate member of the Institution in 1924. In her lifetime, Verena Holmes took out twelve patents and was also the first woman to be admitted to the Institution of Locomotive Engineers in 1931.
Her work in support of women in engineering was based partly upon her own experiences; although she had been admitted to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in 1924, it took twenty years of applying for her to achieve this.
Her interest in the promotion of women into engineering was cemented by her involvement in the founding of the Women’s Engineering Society at the end of the First World War. Holmes also formed her own engineering company in 1946 – Holmes and Leather – which employed only women to give them a chance at employment in a male dominated field.
The Institution has an annual award named after Holmes, which aims to honour and celebrate individuals who have achieved by undertaking a unique challenge or experience and recognise that innovation is stimulated by embracing diversity.
Image credit: Methodist Church Central Hall
The building in which Central Hall Westminster now runs, Methodist Central Hall, is no stranger to holding events and gatherings relating to supporting the rights of specific groups people and especially towards women’s rights.
The Representation of the People Act 1918 passed into law, enfranchising women over the age of 30 who met minimum property qualifications, as well as men over 21. About 8.4 million women gained the vote. A further Act of Parliament in November 2018 allowed women to be elected as MPs but it was not until 1928 that the voting franchise was extended to all women over 21, on the same terms that men had gained 10 years earlier.
Some of the early meetings of what became known as the Suffragette Movement took place here in 1914, re-enacted in the 2015 film ‘Suffragette’, some of which was shot at Central Hall Westminster.
Image credit: 1980 Black Barbie.© Mattel, Inc.
We love showcasing the work of incredible female designers at the Design Museum. In July we are excited to welcome the ultimate feminist icon - Barbie! Through her many professions and hobbies, Barbie has continually pushed the boundaries of what’s expected of women in the world. In 1965, Barbie was an astronaut four years before a man landed on the moon.
Barbie has run for president of the United States of America 7 times and has had her very own Dreamhouse since 1962 when women still couldn’t open a bank account or have a mortgage without a male signatory. As SVP of Design for Mattel, Kim Culmone, has said “since her debut in 1959, Barbie has become an international icon and inspiration that continues to spark conversation, creativity, and self-expression around the world.”
Opening on the 5th of July, the Design Museum’s exhibition will feature over 180 dolls charting the last 65 years of cultural shifts and social advocacy. Get in touch with our Events Team to book an exclusive private view of this exhibition for your guests.
Image credit: Beryl Grey Rehearsing Swan Lake with Liliana Belfiore © Unknown
To mark International Women’s Day, this year we are celebrating our former Artistic Director Dame Beryl Grey.
Dame Beryl’s first encounter with English National Ballet, then named London Festival Ballet, was in 1957 as a guest dancer for the Company’s season. For the next decade, she performed with many companies, both nationally and internationally; with London Festival Ballet a highlight was Reverie, a solo created especially for her.
From 1968 to 1979, Dame Beryl was Artistic Director for London Festival Ballet, increasing the range of the Company’s repertoire and introducing new works, including Rudolph Nureyev’s Romeo & Juliet which was most recently performed by ENB in 2017 for its 40th anniversary year.
In 1988, she was awarded a DBE becoming Dame Beryl Grey, having already been honoured with a CBE in 1973, for services to Dance. Most recently, she was President of English National Ballet from 2005 until her passing in 2022. Dame Beryl was a dedicated ambassador and supporter of the Company and leaves a significant legacy.
Image credit: Royal College of Music
At the heart of the Royal College of Music, you will find our spectacular Amaryllis Fleming Concert Hall, named following its 2009 refurbishment in honour of world-renowned cellist and RCM student and teacher, Amaryllis Fleming.
Half-sister of James Bond author, Ian, Amaryllis started her musical journey learning the piano from age three, before picking up the cello at nine and gaining a scholarship to study at the RCM at age 17. Following her education, Amaryllis developed a love for chamber music, founding several chamber music ensembles throughout her life. However, she never shied away from the orchestral masterpieces, famously making her Proms debut in 1953 playing Elgar’s Cello Concerto.
Following a stroke in 1993, Amaryllis retired from performing but continued teaching, including as professor at the RCM. We are delighted that her lifetime connection to and influence on the College are recognised at the centre of the RCM in our beautiful Concert Hall.
Image credit: Shaftesbury Theatre
The Shaftesbury Theatre has been welcoming exciting and innovative productions to its stage for over a century, championing women voices in the West End in its productions.
In 2019, the Theatre opened with the world premiere of & Juliet. The coming of age musical tells the alternative story of Juliet, if she survived at the end of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. With a pop-infused soundtrack and a strong-willed Juliet charting her own destiny, & Juliet took the stage by storm, celebrating love, independence, and the joy of self-discovery. The show received critical acclaim, winning three Olivier Awards, six WhatsOnStage Awards, and a Black British Theatre Award for Best Female Actor in a Musical.
Five years on from its Broadway opening, the Tony Award-winning musical inspired by John Waters’ 1988 cult movie Hairspray finally reached London, opening at The Shaftesbury Theatre in 2007. The heartfelt performance of Leanne Jones as Tracy Turnblad in the production, along with its catchy tunes, heartwarming message, and exuberant dance numbers, lit up our Theatre and brought smiles to countless faces. The vivacious spirit of Tracy Turnblad and her dream of equality and acceptance resonated deeply with audiences, making Hairspray a true standout.
Image credit: Paul Wilkinson
The Royal Institution has opened its doors to women since its beginnings in 1799, and continues to champion their contribution to science throughout all activities. The first talk given by a woman was all the way back in 1923, and the Ri has since hosted notable scientists including zoologist Jane Goodall, crystallography expert Kathleen Lonsdale, mathematician Hannah Fry, anthropologist Alice Roberts, geneticist Turi King, science journalist and author Angela Saini, and many more.
Eleven of the eminent CHRISTMAS LECTURES have been presented by women, most recently in 2022 when Professor Dame Sue Black presented the Secrets of Forensic Science series. Ada Lovelace Day Live, an annual celebration of the world’s first computer programmer Ada Lovelace, has also been hosted at the Ri twice – in 2014 and 2023. The Ri is a home for science where everyone is welcome, and celebrates women throughout its history, and not just on International Women’s Day.
Image credit: © Jack Lowe. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
In honour of this year's International Women's Month, we are excited to announce the launch of ‘Women of the RNLI’, an inspiring exhibition celebrating the work of women in the Royal National Lifeboat Institution at The National Maritime Museum.
This impactful quote from the exhibition serves as a poignant reminder of the remarkable legacy left by women who came before us.
'The truth is, we aren’t the pioneers – others led the way. Women have always been there'
- Leonie, volunteer at Oban RNLI Lifeboat Station
Each event you choose to host at RMG helps raise funds, enabling us to continue presenting amazing free exhibitions like this one. So, join us for your next celebration, we are ready to start dreaming your next event with you.
Our experienced team is on hand and ready to start discussing plans for your next event. Contact them now at events@rmg.co.uk or on 0208 312 8517.
Image credit: RSA House
Mary Moser was an English painter and one of the most celebrated female artists of 18th-century Britain. She won a premium from the Society for an ornamental design in 1785 aged 14.
In 1795 Mary received another premium for a flower picture and was awarded the Society’s silver medal “as a further reward for her extraordinary merit.” This painting was shown in the first art exhibition held by the Society of Arts in 1760 and was also included in the “Exhibition of Exhibitions” in 1951.
Her skills led to her being positioned as the drawing mistress to Royal Princess Elizabeth and, more notably, Queen Charlotte. By 24, she was one of the Royal Academy's two female founders, paving the way for future generations of women in the arts.
Image credit: At the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), we honour the contributions of women past and present for International Women’s Day.
At the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), we honour the contributions of women past and present for International Women’s Day.
While women had been allowed to practice as physicians, apothecaries and midwives for centuries, their role in these male-dominated fields was repeatedly challenged and often led to the ‘vexed question’ of women’s capabilities in these professions.
Despite being over 500 years old, the RCP only allowed women to join as members in 1909, when Ivy Woodward became the first woman member of our organisation. The first woman fellow was only appointed in 1935: Dr Helen Mackay was the first female house physician and surgeon at Queen’s Hospital for Children in Hackney Road where she conducted ground-breaking research into rickets and anaemia.
Sujata Chaudhuri was the first woman of colour to become a fellow at the RCP, while Zahira Hafez Abdin was the first Egyptian woman to become a member and later a fellow. She identified streptococcal infections as a cause of rheumatic heart disease in children in her community.
Dame Margaret Elizabeth Harvey Turner-Warwick was elected as the first female president of the RCP in 1989, 471 years after its foundation. At one stage in her career, she was the only female professor of medicine in the UK.
Today our organisation fosters inclusivity with 71% female staff. Natacha Allen currently leads our award-winning events team, RCP London Events, exemplifying empowerment in leadership
Image credit: St Paul's Cathedral
In the Crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral is a sculpted marble and alabaster memorial to Florence Nightingale by artist Arthur George Walker. Depicted tending to a wounded soldier, the words inscribed above read, ‘Blessed are the merciful.’
She is famous the world over for her work as a nurse, especially during the Crimean War, but she was also instrumental in establishing standards in nursing administration and social welfare reform. Not only this, but she was also a pioneering statistician, and set up her own nursing training school at St Thomas’ Hospital.
Florence Nightingale died in 1910, and was buried at her request in her family grave in East Wellow, Hampshire. In the same year, a memorial service was held at St Paul’s Cathedral to commemorate her life and work. Among the congregation were many of her nurses from nearby St Thomas’ Hospital – a fitting tribute to the founder of modern nursing.
Image credit: Andrea Soldi Isabella Duchess of Manchester 1738. Whitfield Fine Art
Ladies of Quality and Distinction:
This portrait of Isabella Montagu, Duchess of Manchester (by Andrea Soldi, 1738) hangs in the heart of the Foundling Museum's grand Picture Gallery. She is portrayed as Diana, goddess of the hunt, surrounded by animals and adorned with a crescent moon above her head.
She was part of an elite group of twenty-one 'ladies of quality and distinction' who supported philanthropist, Thomas Coram, in his early efforts to set up the Foundling Hospital. As a shipping magnate, Coram returned to London after many years to find that children were living in poverty, and endeavoured to build a place for the residence and protection for children at risk of abandonment. Initially, twenty-one high-society women signed a petition that went to George II in 1735.
Although unsuccessful, it set the precedent for the gentlemen’s petition two years later, which led to the Hospital being granted a Royal Charter. After seventeen years of petitioning, the Foundling Hospital opened in Bloomsbury, with the first children admitted in 1741.
Image credit: Alex Upton
Somerset House, once a royal residence from 1603 to 1692, was home to notable queens, including Elizabeth I and Anne of Denmark, as well as controversial consorts like Henrietta Maria and Catherine of Braganza. You can book a Historical Highlights Tour to learn more about Somerset House’s history.
In more recent years, Somerset House has hosted many influential women, from Kiera Knightley starring in The Duchess, filmed in their Edmond J. Safra Fountain Court, to PJ Harvey who initiated Recording in Progress with Artangel and Somerset House by utilizing a former staff gymnasium in the venue, offering visitors a multi-dimensional view of the recording process.
Over the last two decades, Somerset House Summer Series, in partnership with Metropolis Music, has also championed some of the most exciting musical female talent, such as Amy Winehouse, Adele, Kelis, Grace Jones, Jorja Smith and more.
Other recent female-focused events hosted include Breast Cancer Now's charity fashion show; Black Girl Fest; Glamour Empowerment Summit, and the Audible Women’s Prize for Fiction Shortlist Party unveiling nominated authors.
Image credit: @historicroyalpalacesevents and @historicroyalpalaces
Queen Anne of Great Britain and her successful reign
Queen Anne, the younger daughter of James II, is often overlooked by historians, yet her reign from 1702 to 1714 had a profound impact on Britain. It marked the end of the Stuart dynasty and paved the way for the Georgian era. During her reign, Queen Anne completed the construction of the baroque palace at Hampton Court and resided at Kensington Palace until her death.
Her life story is full of intriguing contradictions. On one hand, Anne was a dedicated and conscientious stateswoman who oversaw the lasting union of England and Scotland. On the other hand, she was a mother in poor health, who suffered through 17 pregnancies and outlived all of her children. Despite being painfully shy, Anne was able to assert her authority when required. She was devoted to her kind but dull husband, but also entangled in passionate female friendships.
As fascination grows with her favorites, Lady Sarah Churchill and Lady Abigail Masham, it is time to take a closer look at the remarkable life of Queen Anne.
Queen Anne | Kensington Palace | Historic Royal Palaces (hrp.org.uk)
Image credit: Southwark Cathedral
Elizabeth Newcomen was childless widow and a prominent 17th century resident and benefactor of St. Saviours – the parish church which later became Southwark Cathedral. Elizabeth’s family-owned property off Borough High Street on the corner of Axe and Bottle Yard.
In her will she stated that any income should be first paid to her nephew, and then to his eldest son if he had one, and finally to St. Saviours where it should be used “for the clothing, education, and apprenticing of children within the Clink Liberty”.
In 1749 the bequest become available for these educational purposes, and St. Saviours used the money to send boys and girls from the parish to St. Saviour’s Charity School. Then in 1840, after a disagreement with the Trustees of the Chairty School, Elizabeth’s bequest was used to open a new boy’s school on Southwark Bridge Road.
This school later became Newcomen Girls’ School on Newcomen Street – formerly Axe and Bottle Yard which was renamed after Elizabeth. By the 1960’s Newcomen Schools were renamed Newcomen’s Technical School which offered training in nursing, childcare, and catering. While in the 1970s the school closed, the Newcomen Collect Foundation is still in operation supporting the education of residents under the age of 25 in the Borough of Southwark. Elizabeth Newcomen’s commitment to educating boys and girls along with her trust of St. Saviours to fulfil her requests has left an impactful legacy on education in Southwark.
Thank you to the Southwark Cathedral guides who provided this story on Elizabeth Newcomen.
Image credit: © Trustees of the Natural History Museum
Natural History Museum and the story of Mary Anning
The Natural History Museum is renowned for its extensive collection of dinosaur specimens – however we also can’t forget to pay homage to the pioneering work of the iconic palaeontologist and fossil collector, Mary Anning.
Born in 1799 in Lyme Regis – part of what is now known as the Jurassic Coast along the south of England, Mary Anning was born to a poor family and, following the passing of her father – also a fossil collector – Mary would often sell her finds to pay for her family’s debts.
In 1811, at just 12 years of age, Mary discovered the 5.2-metre outline of what would be named the world’s first Ichthyosaur, followed by the first complete skeleton of a Plesiosaurus in 1823 and the first pterosaur ever discovered outside of Germany in 1828.
Today, the Natural History Museum showcases several of Mary Anning’s spectacular finds, including the Ichthyosaur, Plesiosaur and pterosaur along its majestic Fossil War. Its exclusive patrons and members area, the Anning Rooms, is also named in honour of the pioneering palaeontologist.
Both areas, along with the rest of the Museum’s iconic exhibition spaces and galleries, are available for hire for anyone looking for a stunning event backdrop. For more information, visit www.nhm.ac.uk/business-services/venue-hire.html.
Image credit: The HAC
Sophie Montagne joined the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) Reserve Regiment in 2011 and after training as a surveillance operator, being promoted to the rank of Lance Sergeant and qualifying as a military ski instructor, Sophie applied for Ice Maiden, an expedition to cross Antarctica using muscle power alone.
In 2017, following two-years of hard training, Sophie was chosen from 250 applicants to undertake the challenge of skiing coast-to-coast across Antarctica. Alongside five other female teammates, Sophie spent 61 days on the ice covering 1700kms to complete the record-breaking feat.
After returning from Antarctica, Sophie started a new business – PolarPeformance – and became Director of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Polar Regions. In 2019, on behalf of the APPG Polar Regions, Sophie organised the inaugural Antarctic Parliamentarians Assembly, inviting MPs from all 54 signatories to the Antarctic Treaty to gather in London to discuss the issues of climate change, biodiversity and tourism on the White Continent.
Now Head of Operations for the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, Sophie is responsible for selecting, training and managing the seasonal teams that run the “Penguin Post Office” and museum at Port Lockroy, on the Antarctic Peninsula.
A truly incredible few years for one of our own!
Image credit: Debra Hurford-Brown
Earlier this year, RIBA announced architectural change maker Professor Lesley Lokko OBE as its Royal Gold Medallist 2024, awarded in recognition of her commitment to championing diverse approaches to architectural practice and education.
For over two decades, Lokko has devoted her career to amplifying under-represented voices and examining the complex relationship between architecture, identity, and race, profoundly impacting architectural education, dialogue and discourse.
Lokko’s work to “democratise architecture” has been hailed by the 2024 RIBA Honours Committee as a “clarion call of equitable representation in policies, planning and design that shapes our spaces”.
RIBA President Muyiwa Oki and member of the committee described Lokko as “not just an educator, but as a force reshaping the narrative and pushing the boundaries of the discipline’”.
In 2023, Lokko was awarded an OBE for services to architecture and education and on 2nd May 2024 she will be formally presented with the Royal Gold Medal 2024.
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