Emmeline Pankhurst Statue

‘Rise up, Women,’ also known as ‘Our Emmeline,’ is a bronze statue of British suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst. The statue stands in St. Peter’s Square in Manchester, England and was created by sculptor Hazel Reeves. A circle of white stone called the ‘meeting circle,’ also designed by Reeves, surrounds the statue.

In an election held on December 14, 1918, British women over 30 participated in their first election. On the 100-year anniversary of that election, ‘Rise up, Women’ was unveiled. More than 60,000 people attended the unveiling.

The statue is the culmination of the efforts of the WoManchester Statue Project, a five-year campaign led by Manchester City Councilor Andrew Simcock. The campaign was inspired by Simcock’s friend Anne-Marie Glennon’s comment about the lack of women among Manchester’s public statues. After gaining the support of the city council, Simcock moved forward with the creation of a statue honoring a significant woman in Manchester’s history.