Discover Women’s History this Month
In honour of Women’s History Month, we are excited to present a series of events that delve into the heritage and legacy of Somerset’s Women. We invite you to join us to discover and celebrate these women and their unsung stories.
Exhibition
Strength and Resilience: Somerset Women in the Second World War
8 March – 8 June
This exhibition marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day, and is a tribute to four remarkable women of Somerset who played their part during the conflict and subsequent peace process of the Second World War.
Exhibition
Chance Encounters: The Art of Rachel Reckitt
Until 15 March
A retrospective of paintings, sculpture and wood engravings by artist Rachel Reckitt (1908-1995.) Reckitt was a 20th-century modernist artist who lived and worked in West Somerset for over 60 years. She was a unique artistic talent who worked entirely on her own terms.
In-Person and Online Talk
Women Artists of the Second World War
6 March, In-person at The Museum of Somerset or Online.
Discover the artistic heritage of Somerset women in World War II through this talk with the Royal Air Force Museum’s Curator of Art, Julia Beaumont-Jones. You might recognise the work of some of the artists such as Rachel Reckitt and Sybil Andrews.
Talk and Tea
Women Who Went Around the World
14 March at The Museum of Somerset
Author Sally Smith celebrates the adventurous spirits of women who’s journeys to circumnavigate the globe were extraordinary, but often overlooked. It’s a talk dedicated to shining a light on these incredible women and their astonishing adventures of courage and determination.
Online Talk
Second World War Spy Odette Hallowes
20 March, Online
Sophie Parker, Odette Hallowes’ grand-daughter, will give a talk on the incredible life of a wartime heroine. Odette Hallowes, featured in the ‘Strength and Resilience’ exhibition, was the first woman to be awarded the George Cross for her work as a Secret Agent as part of the Special Operations Executive (SOE).
Exhibition Talk and Tour
1 April and 13 May at Somerset Rural Life Museum
In this talk and tour with exhibition curator Bethan Pritchard hear more about the remarkable stories of four women and the part they played in the Second World War and the peace process.
And you can even go a bit further back in history, with two Family History Events to help find your female ancestry.
Women are often invisible presences in archives and family trees, according to recent research. Find My Past has revealed 70% of unknown individuals in family trees are women, and that family trees contain 39 million fewer women than men. They have launched a tool called HerStory to help balance these numbers, have a go using the HerStory tool and fill up all the empty female spaces in your family tree.
Family History Events
15 March at Devon Heritage Centre
12 April Talk and Drop-in at Somerset Heritage Centre
Dive into your own family history and gain valuable insights and tips on uncovering the stories of within in your family tree.
“By researching the women in your very own family tree, you are contributing to the important project of women’s history.” – Find My Past, Lisa Lisson