Pendle Radicals is a research and creative project, exploring the stories of some of Pendle Hill’s extraordinary change makers, radical thinkers and nonconformists.
From 2018 to 2022 it was part of a wider programme celebrating the landscape of Pendle Hill.
Nonconformist * Suffragist * Reformer * Socialist * Quaker * Chartist * Pacifist * Punk * Trespasser * Seeker * Ranter * Evangelist * Mathematician * Artist
Who do we mean by Pendle Radicals? They include George Fox, the first Quaker, whose vision at the summit led to the birth of a worldwide movement; Sir Jonas Moore, known as the ‘father of time’, and a key figure of the English Enlightenment; Selina Cooper, a hero of the fight for women’s suffrage, in spite of having to work in the mills from the age of 12; and the extraordinary story of Ethel Carnie Holdsworth, mill worker turned prolific writer and uncompromising activist.
These are just a few of our subjects, but the stories are many. You can explore them through the pages of this website, and through the special places we signpost for the Radicals Trail.
Pendle Radicals is retelling these stories through all kinds of creative means. They include films, audio, performances, readings, exhibitions, walks, publications, a podcast and more.
At the heart of our project is a team of volunteer researchers. Their work and their enthusiasm are what makes possible the breadth and the depth of this brilliant project. Radicals researchers give their time, but we guarantee them a shared adventure, through field trips, research visits and opportunities for learning. If you might like to get involved, we’d love to hear from you. Join the Radicals!
This project is part-funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
