Elizabeth Heyrick, a Leicester-born pioneer of the 19th-century abolitionist movement, has been celebrated with a specially commissioned sculpture that will be displayed at Leicester's New Walk museum. This honour comes as a result of a public vote aimed at commemorating the stories of remarkable yet often overlooked women in history.
In a bid to write women back into history, a campaign by family tree website Findmypast has uncovered five remarkable yet overlooked women from historical records, highlighting their incredible contributions to society. This led to Elizabeth Heyrick being selected for this tribute through a public vote. Designed by local artist Corinne Lambert, the sculpture was presented to Leicester Mayor Sir Peter Soulsby on Wednesday 14 August.
This initiative was spurred by research revealing that there are 39 million fewer women than men in the nation’s family trees, with their stories overlooked by researchers, as over 70% of all ‘unknown’ people in trees are also revealed to be women.
Onlookers in Leicester City Centre were surprised by historical re-enactors in full costume, portraying Elizabeth and four other women whose stories were uncovered and championed as part of the campaign. Together, the women encouraged the public to participate in the mission of rediscovering and celebrating women's historical achievements.
After being widowed in 1797, Elizabeth Heyrick became a Quaker and a vocal advocate for the immediate abolition of slavery, opposing the gradualist approach endorsed by prominent abolitionists like William Wilberforce. Her 1824 pamphlet, "Immediate, not gradual abolition", played a crucial role in shaping public opinion and spurring the abolitionist movement in Britain and abroad. She also pioneered the first anti-slavery ladies’ society and organised a sugar boycott to protest slave labour.
Beyond her anti-slavery efforts, Heyrick was a tireless reformer involved in workers' rights, prisoner welfare, and various social causes, including electoral reform and the abolition of capital punishment. Although she died in 1831 before the abolition of slavery, her legacy lived on, inspiring future generations to continue the fight against systemic injustices. Heyrick’s impactful writing and activism were acknowledged posthumously, with tributes praising her unceasing dedication to justice and charity.
Madeleine Gilbert, Family History Expert at Findmypast, says:
“For too long, women’s stories have been overlooked as we write history, even as women like Elizabeth Heyrick made massive contributions to bettering our society. With this commemorative public sculpture and our free resources online, we hope to play a part in redressing this imbalance and to encourage the public to research and share the stories of women in their own family too."
Jess Jenkins, Trustee of the Elizabeth Heyrick Society, says:
“I am thrilled to see Elizabeth Heyrick finally receive the recognition she so richly deserves. Her extraordinary contributions have too long been overlooked, and this marks an important step in bringing her story to light. The Elizabeth Heyrick Society remains committed to educating the public about her legacy and raising funds for a public statue in Leicester, ensuring her remarkable life continues to inspire future generations.”
Elizabeth’s story is just one of the overlooked stories of women in history, as evidenced by the ’Herstory Gap’ – more than 70% of unknown individuals in family trees are women, with men’s life stories more likely to be investigated.
This gap is driven by two main factors. The tradition of taking a spouse’s surname at marriage means that it can be more challenging to trace women prior to this point through multiple generations, meaning many prioritise the male lineage instead. The greater significance placed on recording male-dominated areas of recreation or work in historical records also plays a role.
To redress the balance and help more women’s stories be told, Findmypast has launched a Herstory Hub to provide advice on tracking down female ancestors – and signpost towards record sets with a more even gender balance. Visitors can go on to start their family tree and for free.
The Elizabeth Heyrick Society views the event as a brilliant initiative that has successfully brought much-needed attention to Elizabeth Heyrick's life and achievements. It marks an important first step in the broader effort to gain recognition for Elizabeth and her remarkable contributions to social justice. The Society remains dedicated to continuing this work, with plans to further honour her legacy through educational programs and the eventual establishment of a public statue in her memory.
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