In June 2022 some of the spectacular women from Rosies Plaques came to visit Macclesfield, all the way from Norwich, with their fabulous caravan. I’d previously arranged for them to visit for Barnaby Festival in 2020 but sadly the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to those plans.

So I was thrilled that we were able to organise a replacement visit. The caravan was parked up in the garden of the Silk Museum and then six Macclesfield women — Jo Bell, Sarah Miles, Victoria Scholes, Becca Smith, Lisa Williams and myself — were guided by the Rosies in making blue plaques to celebrate Macclesfield women from history.

Jo Bell and I also ran a community workshop where folks handpainted blue plaques to celebrate people important to them—from beloved grandparents to Kate Bush—and all plaques were viewed and celebrated in a special event at the Silk Museum.

Then Jo and I hung the plaques around Macclesfield and I led a history walk on a Treacle Market Sunday to tell the stories of Anne and Ellen of Rainow, hanged as witches; Hester Ann Roe, Methodist pastor; Margaret Moborn, who brought the art of silk weaving to Macclesfield; Marianne Brocklehurst and her partner Mary Booth, who brought Egyptian treasures to Macclesfield; Edith Buxton, working-class mill girl who became an internationally important silk designer; Beryl Footman, former Head of Macclesfield High School for Girls.