Today, International Women’s Day, saw  a blue plaque to Helena Brownsword Dowson installed at the Justice Centre in Nottingham. The theme of this years IWD is ‘challenge’ and Helena would have seen that as an appropriate epitaph to her life’s work .  While still a child she learned that ‘a married shop woman had had her shop sold by her husband who had deserted her years before, and that he was within the man-made law’ in doing this. She clearly felt this was unfair and wrong and  this led to a lifelong commitment to challenge the status quo and fight for women’s rights to vote, access to public life and institutions and to improving women’s lives.

You can lean more about her in our booklet ‘A Tribute to Life’ available from Five Leaves bookshop or from NWHG price £3 to include postage. Drop us an email at nottmwomenshistory@gmail.com.