On Tuesday, 12th November, Wakefield Civic Society unveiled its latest blue plaque.
The new plaque commemorates the life and achievements of Mabel Lucy Matthews (nee Hanlon), who was born on 25th May 1879 in the family home at Elm Street, College Grove, Wakefield.
The plaque was unveiled at an event organised by Wakefield Historical Society at the West Yorkshire History Centre where guest speakers Professor Graeme Gooday and Dr Katie Carpenter, both from the University of Leeds, shared their research into Matthews’ achievements and the history of the UK’s Electrical Association for Women, which was founded in November 1924 having been proposed initially by Matthews.
Mabel Lucy Matthews, nee Hanlon, started life in Wakefield before moving with her family to Cheshire. In 1901, she married Richard Matthews but was widowed in 1909. During World War I, she worked for a paper maker’s engineering company.
In the 1920s, Matthews worked in the electrical department of the Consolidated Pneumatic Tool Company Ltd and became an expert on electric drills. In 1922, she delivered a lecture on electric drills to the Women’s Engineering Society, of which she was an associate member. She went on to become Managing Director of the company at a time when it was unusual for women to be employed in engineering jobs as many companies had looked to employ men returning from the war during the 1920s.
Matthews had recognised the importance of domestic electricity and how it would transform the lives of women in the home. She also realised that householders, and particularly women, would need to be informed and reassured about the safety of domestic electricity supply and the electrical appliances.
Matthews suggested the creation of an electrical association for women to the Institution of Electrical Engineers. As well as promoting the use of domestic electricity, the proposed association would also help to create jobs for women across the industry. However, the suggestion was rejected.
A similar suggestion made to the Women’s Engineering Society proved more fruitful and, on 12th November 1924, an initial meeting of what would become the Electrical Association for Women (EAW), was held in London. The meeting was attended by many women’s organisations, including the Girl Guides, the National Union of Teachers and the Headmistresses’ Association. The EAW set up branches around the country – with a Leeds and West Riding branch being formed in 1928 and a Wakefield branch in 1953.
Matthews died in 1970.
The unveiling event marked, to the day, the centenary of the founding of the UK’s Electrical Association for Women (EAW) on 12th November 1924 and is part of a wider celebration of women’s roles in energy: Electric Dreams – a Festival of Womanpower.
Professor Gooday and Dr Carpenter commented “The Electrical Association for Women and its parent organisation, the Women’s Engineering Society were incredibly important for supporting women’s work in electrical engineering from the interwar period. This was a vital time for developing women’s rights and employment opportunities after some women received the vote for the first time in 1918. We are delighted that Mabel Matthews’ role in establishing this ground-breaking organisation is being recognised with this blue plaque”.
Kevin Trickett, President of Wakefield Civic Society, said “We were delighted to receive a nomination to erect a blue plaque to Mabel Lucy Matthews. Women are underrepresented in blue plaques nationally yet have played such an important part in shaping society, taking on increasingly prominent roles, particularly from the late 19th and early 20th century onwards, and we hope to receive more nominations in the future. However, receiving a nomination is one thing – finding the funds to cover the cost of the plaque and gaining permission to erect the plaque on a suitable building are also key parts of the process. I am grateful to Dr Phil Judkins, Secretary of Wakefield Historical Society and also a member of Wakefield Civic Society, for making a generous donation to cover the cost of this plaque. The plaque will be erected on Lightwaves Leisure and Community Centre on York Street, which overlooks the site where the houses on Elm Street used to stand. I would like to thank the Lightwaves trustees for giving permission for the plaque to go on their building.”
Dr Judkins added “Despite many advances, women today still have not complete equality. Imagine the challenges a century ago when Mabel was born in modest circumstances here in Wakefield! Through work and determination, she succeeded in the man’s world of engineering and helped make home and workplaces both safer and more equal for all – a magnificent legacy!”
