In the year 1892, a formidable force arrived on British shores: a lady by the name of Emilie Montgomery Gardner, or simply E. M. Gardner, as she is widely known.
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A forerunner of the women’s suffrage act who travelled around the country by horse-drawn caravan, and a civil servant who won an OBE for her services, E. M. Gardner led an intriguing and mysterious life, and was truly a force to be reckoned with. So when she became passionate about the need to recognise and preserve watermills, nobody could stand in her way.
E. M. Gardner is a name that will go down in history, alongside her sister-soldiers Emmeline Pankhurst and Millicent Fawcett. The 26th August is the 101st anniversary of the Representation of the People act, which first gave women the right to vote – thanks to the activism and bravery of these women. Join us in celebrating this leading lady whose work is responsible for the preservation and appreciation of watermills to this day.
Click here to go to the Gems of the Archive article.
You can also read a blog on Miss Gardner by our previous intern, Chris Viney, here.