The statue of Emmeline Pankhurst will be unveiled this coming Friday, 14th December.
The event takes place in St Peter’s Square, Manchester. Pre-unveiling activity starts at 11.15 a.m. with the ceremony getting underway at midday. The ceremony finishes at around 12.45 p.m. when the statue will be unveiled.
The programme for the unveiling is here:
Emmeline Pankhurst Statue Unveiling programme
St Peter’s Square has a capacity of around 5,000 and of those, around 2,000 people will be marching into the square.
Please expect to be outside for the event!
Big screens
The ceremony will be broadcast on two big screens in the square.
Free poncho and programme
Copies of the programme and a free waterproof poncho in one of the colours of the suffragette movement can be collected from Central Library on the morning of the unveiling. These will be available from 10.00 a.m. onwards.
Facilities in St Peter’s Square
St Peter’s Square has several cafes and all will be open well in advance of the unveiling ceremony. Friska is right next to the statue location, The Anthologist is on the ground floor of One, St Peter’s Square. The Town Hall Extension Café and the Manchester Central Library Café speak for themselves. All have toilets and there are additional facilities on Lloyd St.
Metrolink
Trams will be running as normal into St Peter’s Square until the unveiling starts.
March to the unveiling
Two marches are taking place on the morning of the unveiling
March from near The Pankhurst Centre
If you would like to attend and march the following timings apply.
The Pankhurst Centre – gather from 10.30 a.m. onwards in Denmark Road
The Pankhurst Centre is immediately adjacent to Manchester Royal Infirmary. To avoid the risk of preventing emergency access to the hospital this march starts near by on Denmark Road. This is on the other side of Oxford Road next to The Whitworth Art Gallery.
Marchers are asked to assemble here from 10.30 a.m. onwards. They will be joining over 1,000 school children from 30 primary and secondary schools. See here for all the detail relating to this march, including a map of the route.
March from Great Northern Square
People’s History Museum – is open from 9.30 a.m. on the day (café from 8.00 a.m.). The marchers will gather at 11.15 a.m. onwards at Great Northern Square.
Great Northern Square is at the junction of Peter St and Deansgate. The march is being organised in association with The People’s History Museum and the University of Salford. Again access issues mean that it is better to start nearby.
Marchers from Great Northern Square are asked to assemble from 11.15 a.m. onwards. The route of this march takes marchers past what was The Free Trade Hall on Peter St. This was the scene of many suffragette activities.