By Jane Knowles
As part of Heritage Open Days, Bramley Baths organised a guided walk around the local area to discover places associated with the prominent suffragette Mary Gawthorpe.
A group of 10 women gathered at the baths on the afternoon of Saturday, 12 September ready to be enlightened about the life of this remarkable Leeds woman.
Capably led by Chris Willetts, the group set off down Broad Lane and along Upper Town Street towards the first stopping point on Bramley Park. Here the group learnt about what the park would have looked and sounded like at the turn of the 20th century, with huge crowds of mill workers turning out to listen to the bands playing on Sunday afternoons on what is now the children’s play area.
A short walk took the group through to Warrel’s Mount where the Civic Trust blue plaque is positioned on one of the houses that Mary lived in with her parents and younger brother.
The plaque was unveiled in April 2015 by Dr Jill Liddington, an eminent historian, writer and Royal Historical Society Fellow. Here Chris explained how Mary had a difficult upbringing with an alcoholic father and very little money. In fact, she had to turn down a scholarship as the family could not afford tram fares and equipment.
From here the group progressed down Hough Lane to view the impressive Mary Gawthorpe Mural prominently displayed on the gable end at the start of Cross Bath Road.
The mural was created in May 2025 by Horsforth-born artist David Griffin. At this point of the walk, the group discussed the work of the suffragettes and how, after being arrested for heckling Winston Churchill, Mary was so badly beaten she suffered health issues for the rest of her life.
Next on the itinerary was a stop at Grade II listed Bramley Board School on Hough Lane, which is sadly now boarded up waiting for development.
Mary was a teacher here from 1905 to 1907, after having completed her pupil teacher apprenticeship. It is very likely that she accompanied her pupils to Bramley Baths during that time as using the baths and learning to swim was considered vitally important as part of the pupils’ overall health and wellbeing. The walkers then headed back to the baths, bringing the story full circle.
Along the route, many stories from Mary’s life were shared from her humble beginnings in Woodhouse, her hard fought for teaching career and her time as part of the women’s suffrage movement. Some additional nuggets of information were offered by participants which made the whole affair very collaborative.
Jennie Kiff, one of the participants who had travelled from Bradford, said of the walk: “It was a splendid tour taking in sites linked to Mary Gawthoripe and her links to the suffragette movement. Fascinating to see where she lived and worked and also to learn more about her life in Bramley.”
If you would like to find out more about this remarkable woman, you can find information here.
Sponsored content
