Pankhurst Centre Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Pankhurst Centre
The Pankhurst Centre
General information
Architectural style	Edwardian
Address	60–62 Nelson Street, Manchester, England
Designations
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name: The Pankhurst Centre
Designated:	9 June 1974
Reference #:	1197896

The Pankhurst Centre is a very special place in Manchester, England. It is made up of two old houses at 60–62 Nelson Street. One of these houses, No. 62, was once the home of Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters, Sylvia, Christabel, and Adela. This house is famous because it was where the suffragette movement began in 1903. The suffragettes were brave women who fought for women's right to vote.

History of the Pankhurst Centre
What You Can Find at the Centre Today
Pankhurst Centre Garden
Images for kids
See also

History of the Pankhurst Centre

The Birthplace of a Movement

Number 62 Nelson Street became Emmeline Pankhurst's home after her husband, Richard Pankhurst, passed away in 1898. It was here, in 1903, that Emmeline Pankhurst started the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). This group was at the heart of the suffragette movement, working hard to get women the right to vote.

Saving a Historic Building

On June 9, 1974, the Pankhurst Centre was given a special status. It became a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historical building that must be protected. In 1978, there was a plan to knock down the building. However, many people protested to save it. They wanted it to become a museum and a place for women's issues.

The first room to be restored at the centre was the parlour. This is a formal living room. The centre officially opened on October 10, 1987. Important people like Barbara Castle and Helen Pankhurst (Emmeline's great-granddaughter) were there.

In 2014, the centre joined with Manchester Women's Aid. This allowed them to offer more help and services to women in need.

Votes for Women and Beyond

In 1918, a law called the Representation of the People Act 1918 was passed. This law gave all men aged 21 and over the right to vote. It also gave women aged 30 and over the right to vote, if they owned property.

In 2018, which was 100 years after this important law, people asked for more money to help the Pankhurst Centre. They wanted it to become a major museum. This museum would tell the full story of women's fight for the right to vote and for women's rights in general.

The Pankhurst Centre had a break-in on October 1, 2019. Many people donated money to help fix the damage. The Co-operative Group gave £10,000. The centre was closed for a big renovation project in 2020. It reopened on August 29, 2021, with new and improved galleries and the parlour.

What You Can Find at the Centre Today

The Pankhurst Centre offers a special "women-only space" every Wednesday. This is a safe place for women to meet, learn, work on projects, and spend time together.

Part of the centre is a museum called The Pankhurst Parlour. This museum is a tribute to the suffragette movement. It is decorated in the style of the Edwardian era, which is how Emmeline Pankhurst's home would have looked. It is the only museum in the world dedicated to telling the story of women's fight for the right to vote.

The Pankhurst Centre is run by dedicated volunteers. It does not receive money from the government. It relies completely on donations from people who want to support its important work.

Pankhurst Centre Garden

In September 2018, a beautiful new garden was opened at the Pankhurst Centre. Janet Leigh, a garden designer from Stockport, created it. The garden celebrates 100 years since women first gained the right to vote. It also honors the hard work of the suffragettes.

More than 500 people helped fund the garden by donating over £24,000 in 2017. The garden is also a peaceful place for the women and children who live at Manchester Women's Aid to relax.