Manchester Museum Celebrates Hop tu Naa with Manx Heritage

The Pankhurst Centre in Manchester is set to celebrate **Hop tu Naa**, a traditional festival with strong ties to the Isle of Man, on **October 30** and **November 2, 2023**. This event highlights the centre’s commitment to exploring its historical connections, particularly through the legacy of **Emmeline Pankhurst**, founder of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), and her mother, **Sophia Goulden**, who hailed from the Isle of Man.

Located in the historic home of Pankhurst, the Pankhurst Centre serves as the UK’s only museum dedicated to the suffragette movement. It regularly attracts visitors interested in the pivotal events that took place there, particularly the founding of the WSPU on **October 10, 1903**. This year, the Hop tu Naa festivities will delve into the cultural traditions associated with Manx heritage, particularly those linked to Pankhurst’s family background.

The museum’s staff have crafted a program that draws inspiration from both Manx and northern traditions. This includes the unique use of carved turnip lanterns instead of the more common pumpkins, as well as engaging activities such as apple bobbing and lantern making. Alongside these family-friendly events, visitors can also explore a pop-up display that features information about Sophia Goulden, the Isle of Man’s political history, and the early suffrage movement.

Dr. Hannah Priest, manager at the Pankhurst Centre, reflected on the inspiration behind this year’s event. “We always do a Halloween event, as is normal for museums. Recently, a student on placement asked me what Emmeline would have done for Halloween and how she might have celebrated it. This prompted us to explore her mother’s heritage further,” she explained.

Dr. Priest emphasized the significance of Sophia’s influence on her daughters’ activism, particularly given that the Isle of Man was the first region to grant women the right to vote. “With Sophia having that Manx connection through marriage, there is a strong link to her heritage that we want to highlight,” she added.

The Hop tu Naa celebrations will take place from **11:00** to **16:00** on both days at the Pankhurst Centre, located on Nelson Street in Manchester. Visitors are encouraged to join in the festivities and learn more about the historical figures who played a crucial role in advancing women’s rights in the UK.