From the Suffragettes to the Ford workers in the 1960's striking for equal pay; and from the 1970's feminists campaigning for wages for housework to the miners' wives and Greenham Common protestors in the 80's, women have been involved in political activism throughout the century.
Many of their stories are well documented, but for every Emmeline Pankhurst or Germaine Greer, there are anonymous others taking part in campaigns for peace, equality and worker's rights.
Local writer Bernadette Hyland attempts to redress the balance in her book Northern ReSisters: Conversations with Radical Women. It tells the stories of unsung women from the North of England who have been active in some of the most important political campaigns of the last decades.
Her interviews uncover stories of ordinary heroism, from Christine Clarke's one-woman action for paid housework outside a Post Office in Glossop, to Alice Nutter's 23 years with radical group Chumbawamba and subsequent scriptwriting career, penning series such as The Mill and crowd-funded drama Undercovers exploring how the police infiltrate political groups.
Also featured are Mandy Vere, bookseller at the iconic News from Nowhere in Liverpool since 1976, and 'Granny for Peace' Betty Tebbs. Born in 1918, Betty was politicised by the bombing of Hiroshima in 1945 and is still campaigning for Greater Manchester CND today at the age of 96.
The second half of Northern ReSisters features a selection of Bernadette's articles since 1988, including an interview with Irish political icon Bernadette Devlin McAliskey and Kate McGee, wrongly held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Other articles cover the role of Trade Unions and a discussion with Salford based actress Maxine Peake and writer Sally Wainwright about whether there is such a thing as a 'Northern' writer. It's an article that begins with Shelagh Delaney's aspirations.
Meanwhile, a chapter on recent activism cites Alice Searle, who has been involved with lots of Salford heritage, political and community campaigns, and her subsequent downer on the Salford Labour Party...
"I have lost faith in them making the right decisions for the local community" she says "I am suspicious of the way they work with developers and business."
On the other side of the political coin, Salford anti-Bedroom Tax campaigner, Maria Brabiner, has joined the Labour Party as a result of her first-time political activity... "I am fighting from within" she says "I told Ed Miliband to wake up to the affects of the Bedroom Tax..."
Despite the reality of today's austerity Britain, the book ends on an optimistic note. The spirit of protest is alive and well, from local action against the cuts, to the anti-fracking camp at Barton Moss – with women still playing an important part.
Northern ReSisters: Conversations with Radical Women
Bernadette Hyland
A Mary Quaile Club publication £5.95
• A note from the author: `This book will not be sold on Amazon. It may only be purchased online from News from Nowhere (the `real Amazons'). Full details on how to buy the book can be found at http://maryquaileclub.wordpress.com
Review by Jo K
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