Women of the Chilterns, past and present, inspire the next generation

Date: 06th April 2023

Chalk, Cherries and Chairs’ Chilterns Women Conference in March was sold out, with 125 people attending on International Women’s Day at Missenden Abbey.

The event combined panel discussions with demonstrations showcasing traditional crafts of the Chilterns and the women who are taking them forwards for the next generation, as well as an exhibition of ‘Invisible Chilterns Women’.

Chair Judith Green opened the conference, followed by a keynote by CEO from the Chilterns Conservation Board, Dr Elaine King, who talked about women in business and other fields who have inspired her to succeed, including her female colleagues at the Chilterns Conservation Board, and recommended many inspiring books.

Women and the Natural Environment

In the first panel discussion, Women and the Natural Environment, Estelle Bailey from BBOWT talked about being a woman in the traditionally men’s world of conservation, and some of the female pioneers of conservation. Chilterns tourism expert Mary Tebje spoke about how women dominate the travel and tourism sector; as employees, managers or business owners. She explained that her experience tells her ‘it’s the creativity, innovative and collaborative nature of the sector that appeals because these are attributes women are typically good at’.

Claire de Carle, from Buckinghamshire Gardens Trust told the audience about Maud Grieve, a local medicinal herbalist who made up medicines for people in early 1900s. Dr Geeta Ludhra then talked about the feeling of being an imposter as a woman of colour in a perceived ‘white’ countryside and how she is making a stand and changing the narrative for people of colour through her intergenerational walking group, Dadimas CIC, and creating a safe space for women of colour to experience countryside spaces together.

Takeaway quotes

“If a woman sets her mind on something – she’s going to do it!” ~ Estelle Bailey, CEO of BBOWT.

“I never dreamt that my brown mind, body and soul could create the small change that I’m seeing today in the countryside” ~ Dr. Geeta Ludra (pictured, right).

Women, Arts and Crafts

Historian Dr. Helena Chance talked about traditional crafts of the Chilterns, and shone a light on the role of the suffragettes in Amersham who stood up for women’s rights in the era.
Next up was Hattie Speed, a contemporary chairmaker studying in Wycombe, talked about her business, ‘This Girl Makes.’ As a child, she had a traumatic experience which affected her mental health, but learning a craft and a trade helped her cope with mental health and grief. She was the only girl on her course, furniture making being quite a traditionally male domain.

Majeda Clarke, a trustee of the British Crafts Council talked about her weaving passion and business, and how hard it is to survive nowadays as a woman in craft – in the past it would have been common for working class women to make their living from crafts but nowadays, as a craftsperson, it’s essential to supplement your income with other sources.

Finally ceramicist Jane White told her story of following her dream and never giving up – she moved to a farm in the Chilterns with her husband when her children were at University, when she also went to study ceramics (much to her son’s mortification) – she inspired the audience with the message that- you can always begin a new career in craft, whatever your age.

Women, Arts and Crafts panel discussion

Women and Work

Chair of the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs steering group Eliza Alqassar MA MCIfA explained how Buckinghamshire Council works together with CCC, before Dr Lesley Hoskins, Research Associate from Woodlanders’ Lives and Landscapes gave a fascinating talk about girls, young women and work in the Chilterns between 1850-1914, explaining girls’ involvement in traditional crafts and work such as lacemaking, straw plaiting etc – crafts which were demonstrated throughout the conference.

Jane Clare Jones, a feminist philosopher, writer and teacher gave a whistlestop tour of patriarchy, women and work, followed by Ann Henderson, a women’s and labour movement campaigner, who spoke about organised labour and the voices of women including trade unions.

Each panel took a variety of questions from the room, before conference Chair Judith Green wrapped up the day, citing it as inspirational.

Jane Clare Jones

‘In their own Words’ videos

Before each panel session, delegates were treated to short ‘In their own Words’ videos – a series of oral histories describing work in the traditional Chilterns industries of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The videos and accompanying book have been researched and compiled by the Woodlanders’ Lives and Landscapes research group and give a real insight into Chilterns women’s lives in the past.

Watch the In their own Words videos.

Craft stalls and demonstrations

There were some amazing demonstrators of traditional crafts, reflecting Chalk, Cherries and Chairs’ focus on heritage crafts of the Chilterns, plus shop stalls by contemporary makers based in the Chilterns.

These included:

Knots and Embers
Straw plaiting with Hat Plait
Lace Making with Alex Adkins
Chair Caning with Celia James
Tambour Beading with Stuart King
Chair Matting/Rushing with Mollie McMillen of Field Farm Project & McMillen Art
Jane White Ceramics
Majeda Clarke Studio

Jane White

The event summed up some of the key heritage research areas of the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs landscape partnership to date, which, through volunteer and academic researchers, has built our knowledge of Chilterns women involved in traditional crafts and work through the Woodlander’s Lives project. These include lace making, straw plaiting and tambour beading and you can see more at the current ‘Hidden Hands’ exhibition at Wycombe Museum which runs until 10^th September 2023. The conference took that work forward into the present, looking at the role of women in contemporary crafts, in caring for the environment, and in bringing more diversity into the countryside.

One craft demonstrator said, “Thank you for a wonderful day – it really was fascinating, inspiring, thought provoking and angry making (in a reminder to be active, kind of a way). It made me grateful and respectful in so many ways, to the women spanning history, who have struggled and fought for our rights as women. And my goodness, don’t we still need to fight! I also met some super people, and some of the speakers gave me a good kick up the backside to never give up, never be complacent and get on with what I need to do in my life and career.”