Honiton’s famous suffragette and former mayor Juanita Maxwell Phillips is to be celebrated at a special commemorative talk and exhibition.
The talk, One woman and her vote, takes place on Monday, May 12, at The Beehive in Dowell Street, Honiton. It will be given by Dr Julia Neville, who has written articles and a recent book on Mrs Phillips called ‘Viva Juanita’.
She said: “My talk will address new research on Mrs Phillips early life including the time she took tea with Mrs Pankhurst and her work at the War Office during the First World War. I shall also be speaking of Mrs Phillips campaigning role during the turbulent 1920’s when she championed women’s causes such as better childcare provision and the provision of women police.”
For the first time in over 50 years, a member of Mrs Phillips’ family, her great neice Caroline Merry de Bayer will return to Honiton for the talk. Mrs Phillips was mayor of Honiton 11 times.
The Mayor of Honiton, Cllr David Foster, will open the proceedings which will be chaired by co-publisher and writer Tony Simpson, who did the original research and talks on Mrs Phillips life in 2009.
The event starts at 2pm in the Beehive function room upstairs.
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