15 students from Convent of Jesus and Mary Language College in Harlesden worked in partnership with artist, Becci Kenning, Brent Museum and Archives and Digital Drama to create a series of banners as part of a London wide project, 100 Banners. The banners were inspired by the ones made and used by Suffragettes and Suffragists as they fought for the right to vote. The project commemorates 100 years since the Representation of the People Act 1918, which gave some women in the UK the right to vote.
Students learnt about local Suffragist Mary Blake, who inspired them to make this banner. As the students explained, 'We made the banner like this using a quote from the local Suffragist in order to inspire young girls to take control and lead the future through valuing education symbolised by the book.'
Mary Blake was born in 1872. During the First World War (1914-1918), she supported the suffrage movement, however all suffrage organisations put the war effort first. She became Secretary of the Willesden branch of the London Society of Women’s Suffrage. She was a talented needlewoman and draughtswoman and lived at 37 Staverton Road in Willesden (see photos below). Mary died in 1964.
