‘Visionary’ Wakefield editor Ann Hurst who campaigned for women’s rights and abolition of slavery honoured with blue plaque – Wakefield Express

Ann Hurst took over The Wakefield and Halifax Journal following her husbands death in 1823.

Having worked at the heart of her community for years, Ann used her newspaper as a platform to call for radical change, issuing propaganda calling for the abolition of slavery and suffrage for women.

Anns work has been directly linked to the election of Daniel Gaskell, the citys first liberal MP, whose political platform included calling for the abolition of slavery and reform of the Church.

Backed by the Express, the grassroots project is seeking to tell the stories of the women who helped shape Wakefields past.

Anns blue plaque, which will be hung close to her former home on Westgate, is one of more than a dozen that the FWW team have secured.

Sarah Cobham, founder of Dream Time Creative, the company behind the project, said: Ann was known for being radical and liberal.

She wasnt frightened to lead by example and took people with her.

The whole idea of this was to elect Daniel Gaskell MP. She influenced the way the voters moved.

When I first set out on this I just wanted it to be normal for womens achievements to be known about, seen and heard.

And I feel as if we are very much getting that now.

With the help of funding from Wakefield Council, Historic England and Wakefield Civic Society, the FWW team have been able to lead a number of community projects, both before and during lockdown.

Their latest scheme, which involved working with local community groups, saw the creation of dozens of peg doll figurines for an exhibition at Wakefield Library.

It will stay in place, visible from the Burton Street windows, until April 12.

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'Visionary' Wakefield editor Ann Hurst who campaigned for women's rights and abolition of slavery honoured with blue plaque - Wakefield Express