Who We Are
We are a small team of volunteers who are fundraising for a statue of Ada Nield Chew in Crewe.
Ada Nield Chew
Ada started her political life as the anonymous 'Crewe Factory Girl' writing to the 'Crewe Chronicle' in 1894. She wanted a better deal for working women.
When we started this campaign we were – of course – impressed by her dedication to her excellent causes: the advancement of rights for female workers, improvement in conditions for the poor in Nantwich and support for the women’s suffrage cause. She seemed a formidable campaigner, an inspirational speaker and a brave voice for those who needed her most.
However, we also became captivated by the strong, energetic, vibrant woman herself. We uncovered a portrait of a true character – lacking formal education but highly literate, an avid reader and lover of Jane Austen, a devoted mother, a keen theatre-goer and a woman known for her lack of concern for fashion (and often sporting a rakishly-angled hat!) She had a lively sense of humour, strong opinions on everything from education to Oldham, and a fervent wish that girls could be freed from domestic service and raised as human – not mere females.
Why Ada?
Looking around our world in 2023, it is evident that Ada’s concerns are still relevant today; we are sure she would have a few things to say about strikes, the gender pay gap, food banks and modern politics!
With only one in five named statues in the UK being of a woman, we think it is time we put more women's statues on the streets; they reclaim forgotten historical lives, are a source of local pride and provide inspirational role models for young women and girls.
We think that a statue of Ada would make an excellent addition to Crewe, an area undergoing regeneration but also suffering from social deprivation.
Our Plans
We have been working with award-winning sculptor Hazel Reeves to generate ideas for statue of Ada. Reeves created the 'Rise Up, Women' statue of Emmeline Pankhurst in Manchester. Other works include the statue of Elizabeth Wolstenholme Elmy in Congleton and one commemorating the ‘Cracker Packers’ from the old Carr’s factory in Carlisle – a rare depiction of working women’s lives.
We are looking to raise £200,000 in total for the statue of Ada. All funds will be directed to the statue; we are not a profit-making organisation. The fundraiser will run for as long as needed and we are also fundraising offline.
We'll update on progress on here as we go!
How you can help
With this in mind, we ask you to donate to our campaign.
Please join us on the road to remembering Ada in the place where her political life started.