Celebrating women in heritage on International Women’s Day
8 March marks International Women’s Day: a chance to celebrate the remarkable women all around us, but also to highlight the inequity and gender bias that many women still live with – across the world, but also in the UK, where the gender pay gap remains hovering around 8%.
Heritage is a world which is often dominated by men: many of the narratives in historic buildings are about male architects, craftsmen, designers, patrons and aristocrats, reflecting the patriarchal society in which these buildings were conceived of and constructed. Primogeniture means that houses and titles were inherited down male lines – ensuring that the names of these men were cemented in history books, whilst their wives, daughters, mothers and female friends and relations were often given scarcely a mention. Today, more and more women are involved across the sector: from chatelaines and CEOs to education officers and sustainability managers, the possibilities of working in heritage are seemingly endless.
We took the opportunity to speak to six women working in heritage (at Historic Houses properties!) about their experiences and advice for other women in the sector.
Julie Biddlecombe-Brown, curator, Raby Castle
Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day?
I think there are a lot of misconceptions about International Women’s Day which is surprising as it has been going since 1911. It isn’t divisive, it isn’t an angry day and it isn’t about hating men. What it is, is a day that can be celebrated by everyone, where women’s achievements, so often overlooked, can be put under the spotlight. In my lifetime, there have been significant improvements in equality but there is still a long way to go for women to have equal opportunities, both in Britain and around the world.
At Raby Castle International Women’s Day acts as a focus for work we do all year round in sharing the stories of women and men who have lived and worked here. It is an opportunity for us to highlight this work, updating our interpretation and sharing new discoveries made in the preceding 12 months with our audiences.
What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about careers in the heritage and cultural sectors?
As a young curator in my first role, I felt as though I could not show any sign of weakness, ask for help or admit I didn’t know something. I would like to tell my younger self that this feeling may be natural, but it is also not helpful. The most significant step that I think anyone takes in their career is admitting that you don’t know everything, and starting to ask questions and learn for yourself. Any good manager should support you on your journey of professional development and learning – they will still be on that same journey themselves – don’t be afraid to ask!
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
“Her success is not your failure”. I remind myself of this short, simple phrase, shared by a friend and former colleague whenever I am tempted to be self-critical and to judge my own achievements against what I perceive to be the far greater achievements of others. Unhelpful comparisons are unnecessary and can be very damaging. Now, instead of thinking “why didn’t I think of that?”, or “gosh, they are so much better than I am”, when I see amazing work being done by other inspirational colleagues, I genuinely celebrate their success and achievements and feel thankful to work in a sector where excellence and creativity are allowed to thrive.
If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
What a brilliant question! My first dinner date would of course be Raby related and I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have dinner with that the 4th Duchess of Cleveland. An historian, scholar and writer; the most comprehensive history of Raby Castle that we still have today was produced by her in 1870 and is a book that I use daily. Her writing is full of knowledge, wit and personality, she clearly loved history, art and historic buildings (she also wrote a similar handbook for Battle Abbey). I would love to have met her and I hope she would have approved of the way that we are continuing to engage visitors with the history of the castle today.
Perhaps not surprisingly, my second dinner date would be another historian – this time very much alive. I have just finished the excellent and thought-provoking book ‘Femina – A new history of the Middle Ages through the women written out of it’, by cultural and art historian Professor Janina Ramirez. When I closed the final chapter, I thought of how I would like to hear her take on some of the women of Raby’s early past whose names we cover in our Women of Raby tours but whose lives we know so little about. Janina Ramirez can so clearly navigate the historic and archaeological record to uncover these stories, I think over dinner I’d try to top her glass up on a regular basis in the hope she would agree to give me a masterclass!
My final guest would be another writer – this time a woman who died in 1940 in a workhouse in Hampshire but deserves to be much better known. During the folk revivals of the Edwardian era, when men like Cecil Sharp were scouring the country to make sure traditional folk songs were not lost, Florence White did the same with recipes. Florence collected dishes that were specific to different regions or localities and her cookbooks are packed with local, seasonal recipes that might otherwise have been lost. She co-founded the English School of Folk Cookery in Fareham, which was a place where an admiral’s daughter could rub shoulders with a dairymaid – the intention being to educate women in the art of good cookery. Her best-known publication ‘Good things in England’ brings together regional recipes from around England – a kind of gastronomic map with everything from Bakewell pudding to Shrewsbury biscuits. I would love to talk to Florence about her research, her ethos and if she was my final dinner date, I’d also ask her select the menu!
Aimee Anna Akinola, built heritage apprentice, Blenheim Palace
Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day?
International Women’s Day is an important part of raising awareness of gender equity in a world where women make up nearly half the population but there is only 50% global labour force participation, in comparison to 80% for men. For those women who are in the global workforce, they are paid on average 20% less than men. According to the United Nations, at the current rate, it will take 257 years to close the global gender pay gap. I have faith that each IWD is a step closer to bringing that number down by highlighting the barriers faced by everyday women, every day. On the flip side, IWD is equally a celebratory day to highlight the achievements and progress of women across the globe but also within our own communities. There is a sense of togetherness that IWD accentuates and brings to the forefront of the mind. It is important to stop, take a minute, or a day and triumph in one’s achievement – it really is a morale booster!
What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about careers in the heritage and cultural sectors?
You are needed! Looking in from the outside it can be hard to see where you fit into the sector, especially for young women from global majorities. There is much learning, innovation and enhancement that the heritage and culture professions need to do to become a more inclusive, diverse and equitable sector and in order to do that we need more representation from those who are underrepresented! There is a wealth of knowledge, perspective and experience that young women can bring to the sector.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
If not you then who? – A piece of advice given to me by my older sister. As a young black woman, I would sit back and despair about the lack of diversity in the heritage sector but this piece of advice really propelled me into committing to being part of the change in whatever way.
If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
My great-grandmother is 101 and still has the cheekiest sense of humour. She will have the whole room laughing – I would also take the opportunity to absorb as many life lessons as she had to teach from the perspective of a multi-businesswoman with six children.
Amanda Gorman – I adore her poetry and I am stirred by her activism for racial and gender equality. She would provide the perfect balance of deep, insightful conversations but also general life chat as a young woman in her 20s. In addition to her eloquence, she is also a source of fashion inspiration, a style icon in her own right – after all, she has been featured on the cover of Vogue!
Elsie Owusu – she is a Ghanaian British campaigning architect who was co-lead architect for the UK Supreme Court and was named a “RIBA role model” in support of inclusivity and diversity. She also launched, with the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust, the RIBA+25 campaign to advance diversity in architecture. I wouldn’t be able to resist the occasion to ‘talk shop’ with her and pick her brains on navigating a field that has previously been reported as one of the least diverse professions in the UK.
Martha Cobbold, managing director, Knebworth House and President, Historic Houses
Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day?
It’s important to celebrate achievement, to recognise excellence, but most importantly to create aspiration and inspire the young, and young women in particular.
What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about careers in the heritage and cultural sectors?
We need you, and you can do it. Put your mind to the situation/opportunity, listen, and remain curious throughout your life as there is always something more to learn.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
My late father always instilled in me to make a plan and work it, it’s not always easy or straight forward, but with perseverance you’ll get there.
If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
Lady Constance Lytton, a family ancestor, who became a suffragette later in life and worked for women’s rights to be recognised not just the right to vote, but the right to own and retain property, including after marriage, and to be treated equally in work and society.
Mrs Eleanor Roosevelt, former first lady of the US, a diplomat, pacifist and activist, she was an extraordinary woman who served as a US delegate on the United Nations, and was the first chair of the UN’s Human Rights Commission. She’s famous for many quotes but one of my favourites is “Courage is more exhilarating than fear and in the long run it is easier. We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just one step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down”
Queen Elizabeth II, who would be simply fascinating to discuss the extraordinary breadth of life experiences, historic events she lived through, and political situations dealt with in a world and time that didn’t automatically recognise a woman’s abilities.
Rosylvia Wang, design and brand officer, Historic Houses
Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day?
Because most of us haven’t learned to fully celebrate women. Women downplay their accomplishments and have a hard time expressing authority because we subconsciously dislike and penalise women who defy gender norms and don’t display expected behaviours. We will only get better at embracing powerful women with practice.
What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about careers in the heritage and cultural sectors?
Cultural heritage is highly contextual – it can help preserve social hierarchies and the status quo, but it can also help to challenge these. We are all still learning to represent multiple voices and narratives connected to heritage sites, objects and critical history; and we really need new perspectives and refreshing ways of expression like you have.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
When you want something, just go for it! Never ask others for permission as if you need their approval.
If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
Reiko Hada — I respect how she travels the world and actively campaigns against weapons of mass destruction. She was nine when the atomic bomb was dropped on her hometown Nagasaki, Japan, in summer 1945.
StyleLikeU.com’s Elisa Goodkind and Lily Mandelbaum — I admire how their documentary-style videos give diverse individuals an opportunity to share their personal journeys navigating body-image, racial, gender, age, and sexuality issues.
Sydney Eales, intern, Godinton House
Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day?
As I’ve started out in my career, I can see traces of other women everywhere and how their hard work has opened doors for me. I really hope to be able to do that for other women throughout my life, and I think this is such an important thing to take a moment to celebrate. Moreover, I’m a huge supporter of the idea that women support women, in whatever way possible, and this day is such a great opportunity to do that.
What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about careers in the heritage and cultural sectors?
I think the most important message to young women thinking about careers in the heritage and cultural sectors is to just try it. If you have an interest in it, dip your toe in and see what it’s all about. If it isn’t what you expected, you can try something new and be content with the fact that you tried.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
I’m a massive over-thinker, and I was once stressed over how someone was going to take some bad news I had to tell them, when a good friend told me, “You only have the power to control your own emotions.” Out of all the advice I had been given in my life, that cheesy tidbit really stuck with me, and it’s something I’ve taken with me in life when I’ve had to have hard conversations.
If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
Mary Prince. Her enslavement narrative was one of the main primary sources I used in my dissertation at university. I pulled apart and read into most of the words she wrote, but I always thought so much was left unsaid.
Maria Theresa of Spain. My fascination with the French monarchy stems from my first visit to Versailles at 13 years old, and Maria’s vibrant life and marriage into the French monarchy mean she is someone I would love to have dinner with. It always seemed to me that the kings were given far too many pages in the chapters of my history books.
Anna May Wong Anna’s meteoric rise to fame in the 1920s and beyond as the first Chinese-American movie star is an incredible story. She was a fabulously smart woman who learned how to play and succeed in a society that wasn’t set up for her success. I think she’d have enough stories to fill many dinner conversations!
Boun Norton, education officer, Blenheim Palace
Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day?
It is important to remember and to appraise how far women have come since the male-dominated world recognised that women should be respected equally to men. Human achievements are often shortly and loudly celebrated by one generation and then quickly and quietly forgotten by the next.
All humans are yin and yang, and we can live together in harmony when our differences are recognised and respected. There are many women in the world who do not enjoy the privileges that I enjoy today. I have a voice and my opinions are heard. I have the freedom to be who I want to be, and I chose to be a wife and a mother. I have had access to higher education and technology which allowed me to be in paid employment. I own my feelings and emotions the same way I own my finances and most prized possessions.
Men still outnumber women in positions of power, influence, and leadership which impedes the process of world recognition that men and women should be respected equally with fairness.
What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about careers in the heritage and cultural sectors?
My motto is “understanding the past is instrumental to appreciating the present and to better prepare for the future.” I made this part of our Education Statement at Blenheim. I believe this applies to both on a personal level and on a collective level. Coming from a multicultural background and growing up being different from most people in the community, I’ve come to understand that if I don’t know where I come from, then it’s difficult to appreciate who I truly am and what role I could play in the future. Working in heritage education is personally fulfilling because it allows me to explore a site’s heritage (collective past), which helped me to better appreciate my individual present, and to see what kind of collective future I can help plan. Heritage is what links us to the past. Working in the cultural sector is exploring one’s heritage to better share it with others.
I did not grow up aiming to become an Education Officer at a British heritage site. In fact, such jobs did not appear in career advisors’ books. English being my third language; Britain being my second country of residence; education being a hobby, and a Palace being a visitors’ attraction; I never dreamed in a million years that I would one day lead the Education programme at Blenheim Palace. I came to Blenheim with the intention of spending one summer here. I am now entering my 17th year of service.
If you believe that “everyone is the same, but everybody is unique”, then you are perfectly fit for a job in the heritage and cultural sectors. It is with all our individual differences that we will make a difference. Our differences constitute our heritage. Explaining heritage is a job.
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
I am not sure whether it was advice, a warning, or a command, but I remember teachers telling us, “Us oldies, we have one career and then we retire. You youngsters, you will become the first generation of workers who will have more than one career in your lifetime. Be prepared.” I remember thinking, “What does it mean for me? Would I have to juggle different jobs at once or would I have to look for a new job every few years? I thought I was training to do ONE job.” I later realised what they meant. Every academic year started with the classic question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It was usually answered with a single traditional profession. Some years later, I truly grasped the meaning of the advice. The classic question took a different turn: “What do you want to achieve in life?” I felt much happier answering that question. I wanted to achieve many things, and I didn’t want to just BE one thing. To all the students that come to me for heritage experience, I always advise that if they can wake up every morning and feel happy about going to work, then they know they’re in the right place at the right time.
If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
There are so many inspirational women I could not choose three. My top list of inspirational women includes neither “the first woman to…” nor worldwide-known women, but anonymous women who have shown me to believe in myself and to make the most of everything I am, everything I have, and everything I can do.
However, it would be interesting to have dinner with Gabrielle Chanel, Grace Kelly, and Lucy Worsley. I admire how they went about achieving their goals. These women are of different backgrounds, times, and places, and I would love to hear them discuss women’s choices and going against expectations. They embody courage, ambition, and dedication, but most importantly, passion. These three women followed their passion and that’s what I think we should teach youngsters of today. Know where you come from (past), know who you are (present), and you’ll build a bright future for yourself and the people around you.
Coco Chanel fiercely defied the social norms of her time by borrowing the practical elements of men’s wear and transferring them to womenswear. Her belief “la mode se démode, mais le style jamais” encouraged me to develop my own style, not to imitate someone else.
Grace Kelly strongly pursued a career in acting against her parents’ wishes. Coming from a comfortable Catholic family, her family expected her to opt for a traditional lifestyle. She followed her passion and put her heart and soul in her career which earned her an Oscar and took her to Monaco. I did not follow my parents’ wishes, and I ended up in Britain.
Lucy Worsley admirably dedicates her life to history. If only I had a history teacher like her, I would have become a history teacher myself. Lucy educates us about British heritage in an entertaining and engaging way. She inspired me to formulate Blenheim’s aims as follows: we aim to Educate, Engage, and Entertain. In 2017, she presented me with Blenheim’s Sandford Award.
Julie Montagu, TV presenter, writer and entrepreneur, Mapperton House
Why do you think it is important to celebrate International Women’s Day?
As a mom to a daughter and three sons I encourage us all to want to join in this celebration of women’s achievements and encourage everyone to hold up a shining light to all those strong, compassionate and brave women who have in the past and who are now still striving to #embraceequity and strive for equality.
What is the most important message you want to send out to young women thinking about careers in the heritage and cultural sectors?
Go for it! I have been so inspired by researching and finding out about my husband’s family and the amazing determined women who, were such a strength behind the scenes, in times when men dominated in pretty much all areas of life. Make a difference in the way the world reports our history – and let the world know those women’s stories!
What is the most important piece of advice you have been given?
Be your own hero. I have a bracelet that says: “She needed a hero, so that’s what she became.”
Forge your own way, listen to your inner self and do what is right for YOU.
If you could have dinner with three inspirational women, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
First on the list would definitely be Alberta Sturges, who became the 9th Countess of Sandwich, my husband’s great-grandmother. Her extraordinary archive of correspondence forms the basis of my current dissertation and I was amazed to find out that, like me, she was American, had four children and was also a yogi! I so want to speak to her about our lives and how they contrast – or compare!
It would be wonderful to invite Queen Alexandra, a close friend of Alberta’s and godmother to her eldest son, Victor Montagu. She was known as a great beauty and fashion trend-setter. Although she was partially deaf and had mobility problems following an illness, “Alix” was a noted horsewoman, a hostess famed for her high spirits and had been considered the most elegant princess in Europe.
And lastly, perhaps no surprise: Wallis Simpson. I would absolutely love to meet her and ask her so much. Another American, swept up in British history and tradition. I wonder: was she unfairly painted a schemer, or was she simply a woman who fell hugely in love and reaped the whirlwind of an unprecedented constitutional crisis? Fascinating!