Crewe’s ‘Statue for Ada’ campaign takes a step forward

A campaign to remember a brave factory girl who fought for women’s rights with a statue in Crewe has entered an exciting new phase.

After many months of fundraising, designs are being drawn up for a statue commemorating Ada Nield Chew –  and organisers are in talks with the local authority on the ideal spot to place it in Crewe.

In the 1890s, Ada working as a tailor wrote under the pseudonym Crewe Factory Girl to the Crewe Chronicle exposing conditions at work.

She went on not only to campaign for the fair treatment of her female colleagues but joined the fight for women’s suffrage.

All manner of local exhibitions, talks and events have told the story of Ada over the past three years.

So far organisers with the Cheshire Women’s Collaboration have raised £4,000.

Long-term the aim is to raise £100,000 to commission and install Ada’s statue in Crewe, a lasting tribute to her courage, voice and legacy.

Spokeswoman Kate Blakemore said: “There’s still a long way to go but we’re now at the stage of having the final design for the statue agreed while talking to Cheshire East about a location.

“Overall, the interest in Ada has been really encouraging. To get to this stage we have involved over 200 members of the local community.

“This year will see more events, more talks, more fundraising anything to get to where we need to be to remember Ada in the town where she fought to improve working conditions for women.”

Born in Staffordshire on 28 January 1870, Ada was one of 13 children and left school at the age of 11 to look after her family, who went on to settle in Crewe.

By 1894 she was working at Compton’s clothing factory and in a series of 12 letters, she detailed issues for workers including being charged for tea breaks and materials such as silk and thread, and the disparity between wages earned by the female and male workers.

Kate, founder of Her-Place Charitable Trust in Crewe, added: “Ada was brave, she risked being sacked for speaking out. She finally resigned and went on to become a suffragist, preferring peaceful protest to that of a suffragette.

“She was an inspirational figure, and for Ada, we will continue raising funds so she is properly remembered.

“Every penny raised helps us get closer to unveiling the statue that will forever commemorate her legacy in Crewe.”

There are many ways to support the fundraising including walks taking in key sites from Ada’s life and work. They cost just £5.

For more information on upcoming events follow Statue for Ada on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/statueforada/

Pics: Scenes from the Ada travelling exhibition and Kate Blakemore being interviewed about her by the BBC