LSE renames three buildings after famous suffragettes

To celebrate the 100 years of women winning the right to vote, LSE renamed three of its campus buildings after famous suffragettes.

The names chosen are Pankhurst House, Fawcett House and Pethick-Lawrence House.

The ceremony took place on Friday 23rd November, and the buildings were officially unveiled by HRH the Countess of Wessex.

The Countess of Wessex, Caroline Criado-Perez, Helen Pankhurst and Julia Black with the plaque (picture by Nigel Stead, LSE)

Others involved in the ceremony were activist and former LSE student, Caroline Criado Perez and Dr. Helen Pankhurst, the great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and former LSE visiting professor.

The re-named buildings were part of Clement's Inn and had formerly been known as "The Towers".

Caroline Criado-Perez speaking (photo by Nigel Stead, LSE)

LSE highlighted the fact that the famous female suffrage activists "all have connections to the area."

The buildings are on the same site where the London headquarters of the Women Social and Political Union were founded by Emmeline Pankhurst and supported by Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence.

The LSE campus has even deeper roots to the suffrage campaign. Suffrage campaign meetings were held at the Tea Cup Inn and London Opera House, which are also on the LSE campus. The St Clement Press, which published Votes for Women, was also on the LSE campus.

Helen Pankhurst speaking with the Countess of Wessex in the background (photo by Nigel Stead, LSE)

LSE Pro-Director for Research Professor Julia Black told the London Tab: “LSE is closely connected with the suffrage movement in a number of ways: with our history, our location, the extensive material of our library and our wide-ranging research into inequality.

"We are delighted to be able to strengthen this connection further, while celebrating a landmark moment in gender equality and political history.”

Suffragettes on Clement’s Inn (from LSE library)

The Women’s Library at LSE has one of the most complete collections in the UK. It holds all the papers of campaigner Millicent Garrett Fawcett and the Fawcett Society.

In addition to the re-naming ceremony, LSE is hosting the "Make a Stand" exhibition in its Atrium gallery. The exhibition features life-sized images of 59 women and men who fought for female suffrage.