Ethel: Sheffield’s Early Environmental Activist
WAT are proud to have worked with the local branch of the Countryside Charity (CPRE PDSY), Newfield School, EMR and Hope Valley and Peak District Community Rail Partnerships to tell Ethel’s incredible story.
Support for the project was also given by Sheffield Church Burgesses and the British Agricultural History Society.
Support for the project was also given by Sheffield Church Burgesses and the British Agricultural History Society.
Ethel Ward was born into a wealthy Sheffield family. Her father became the Master Cutler in 1913. In 1916, she married Henry Burrows Gallimore who was serving in the British Army. Sadly he died in 1917 and Ethel was made ill through her grief. It was reacquainting herself with the countryside around Sheffield that brought her back to health and her decision to preserve it that gave her new purpose.
Here are some of her achievements:
Founding the CPRE PDSY in 1924 – celebrating its centenary in 2024.
Purchasing Longshaw Estate for the National Trust in 1927.
Persuading JG Graves to buy Blackamoor for the people of Sheffield.
Establishing the Greenbelt.
Establishing our National Parks.
Saving Arbor Low from becoming at the heart of a Motor Racing Circuit.
She is best known today by her name after her second marriage in 1937 to Gerald Haythornthwaite.
Click on the link to watch this film and find out more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjO8QPn6y04
Here are some of her achievements:
Founding the CPRE PDSY in 1924 – celebrating its centenary in 2024.
Purchasing Longshaw Estate for the National Trust in 1927.
Persuading JG Graves to buy Blackamoor for the people of Sheffield.
Establishing the Greenbelt.
Establishing our National Parks.
Saving Arbor Low from becoming at the heart of a Motor Racing Circuit.
She is best known today by her name after her second marriage in 1937 to Gerald Haythornthwaite.
Click on the link to watch this film and find out more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjO8QPn6y04
"The exploits of ethel"
Phase 1
Research and Writing
In Jan 2024 Gertie researched primary sources from the CPRE PDSY collection held by Sheffield Archives.
In Feb and Mar she took her discoveries into Year 7 history lessons in Newfield School.
The young people learnt about a selection of Ethel’s successful campaigns.
Cassa (from CPRE PDSY) said: "We are delighted with the outcomes already being achieved by this project in its early stages. 240 school children learning and practising historical research methods around Ethel's story and her work to protect the countryside around Sheffield is the most impact the charity has achieved with young people in a long time!”
Research and Writing
In Jan 2024 Gertie researched primary sources from the CPRE PDSY collection held by Sheffield Archives.
In Feb and Mar she took her discoveries into Year 7 history lessons in Newfield School.
The young people learnt about a selection of Ethel’s successful campaigns.
Cassa (from CPRE PDSY) said: "We are delighted with the outcomes already being achieved by this project in its early stages. 240 school children learning and practising historical research methods around Ethel's story and her work to protect the countryside around Sheffield is the most impact the charity has achieved with young people in a long time!”
Ethel’s story clearly had an impact on the Year 7s. Cassa received this from a parent:
“Your stuff on Ethel Haythornthwaite has made a real impact on our son, well done! He very rarely tells us about school stuff, but he was gushing about it.”
WAT’s writer, Paul, then wrote “The Exploits of Ethel” about Ethel’s incredible life and legacy.
“Your stuff on Ethel Haythornthwaite has made a real impact on our son, well done! He very rarely tells us about school stuff, but he was gushing about it.”
WAT’s writer, Paul, then wrote “The Exploits of Ethel” about Ethel’s incredible life and legacy.
Phase 2
Performing
Performing
The team travelling to Edale.
At the beginning of June 2024, a small cast of 12- and 13-year-olds were assembled to perform the play.
It was a challengingly short rehearsal time for the all-female cast before performing at the end of Oct 2024.
At the beginning of June 2024, a small cast of 12- and 13-year-olds were assembled to perform the play.
It was a challengingly short rehearsal time for the all-female cast before performing at the end of Oct 2024.
A parent volunteered to provide the music and sound.
Performance on19th October 2024 at Edale Village Hall
There was free train travel for the cast, production team and audience.
There was free train travel for the cast, production team and audience.
When asked which was their favourite performance, one cast member said; “Edale because you could see the hills and countryside Ethel had worked to save.”
Alexa Stott from EMR said about the Edale performance:
“What an amazing afternoon and performance from a very talented group of girls, led by an inspiring Gertie Whitfield and supported by some great teachers and the incredible wordsmith, Paul Whitfield. Not forgetting the unseen faces behind the scenes and the front of house team – their work staging the performance and the organisation of the audience was something many professional outfits would have been proud of.
I was moved to tears by the story that was told and its importance and relevance to the world around us today and the risks our beautiful countryside still faces.
It was a privilege to support this project and I hope we can find ways of helping it reach a wider audience in the coming months.”
Alexa Stott from EMR said about the Edale performance:
“What an amazing afternoon and performance from a very talented group of girls, led by an inspiring Gertie Whitfield and supported by some great teachers and the incredible wordsmith, Paul Whitfield. Not forgetting the unseen faces behind the scenes and the front of house team – their work staging the performance and the organisation of the audience was something many professional outfits would have been proud of.
I was moved to tears by the story that was told and its importance and relevance to the world around us today and the risks our beautiful countryside still faces.
It was a privilege to support this project and I hope we can find ways of helping it reach a wider audience in the coming months.”
22nd October 2024 at Newfield School
One audience member said:
“I just wanted to say how profoundly moving, emotional, funny and educational I found last night’s play about Ethel. It was wonderful and so much I didn’t know!”
The audience included a local councillor, council officers, teachers and local residents.
“I just wanted to say how profoundly moving, emotional, funny and educational I found last night’s play about Ethel. It was wonderful and so much I didn’t know!”
The audience included a local councillor, council officers, teachers and local residents.
24th October 2024 at the Performance Lab, Sheffield Hallam University
The audience included EMR staff, academics, and representatives of National Drama. The evening included a 30-minute talkback for the audience by the cast and writer.
Feedback clearly demonstrated the impact of the play:
• Amazing storytelling.
• AMAZING POWERFUL WOMEN! In the story and in the cast. Learnt loads I didn’t know before.
• I thought the girls were absolutely brilliant! It is a complex script and they did amazingly! I really enjoyed the play too – was really creative, totally engaging. I learned loads about Ethel and the wider campaigns.
• I enjoyed the physical theatre, the acting of cars and trains. I also liked the multiple roles, where multiple people played Ethel.
• I enjoyed learning about Ethel’s life and the origins of the CPRE. The history was great, and I thought the use of imaginative writing and performance brought it to life. The performances were great – a lot of fun. The opportunity to ask questions about how the play came about and what it means to us today was a good idea.
• She represents hope and optimism.
• A very thought-provoking evening - very enjoyable and worthwhile; congratulations to the whole cast, director, music and playwright. (From NATIONAL DRAMA)
Feedback clearly demonstrated the impact of the play:
• Amazing storytelling.
• AMAZING POWERFUL WOMEN! In the story and in the cast. Learnt loads I didn’t know before.
• I thought the girls were absolutely brilliant! It is a complex script and they did amazingly! I really enjoyed the play too – was really creative, totally engaging. I learned loads about Ethel and the wider campaigns.
• I enjoyed the physical theatre, the acting of cars and trains. I also liked the multiple roles, where multiple people played Ethel.
• I enjoyed learning about Ethel’s life and the origins of the CPRE. The history was great, and I thought the use of imaginative writing and performance brought it to life. The performances were great – a lot of fun. The opportunity to ask questions about how the play came about and what it means to us today was a good idea.
• She represents hope and optimism.
• A very thought-provoking evening - very enjoyable and worthwhile; congratulations to the whole cast, director, music and playwright. (From NATIONAL DRAMA)
The project has brought Ethel and her work to a whole new audience, summed up by this feedback:
“She is totally neglected, isn’t she? I had heard of her but knew absolutely nothing about her. It is important a modern audience knows the battle it was to preserve the Peak District – and that it is a battle that has to be fought in so many different ways (street trees!) Also important for girls and boys to see a woman being strong and determined and effective in the world.”
“She is totally neglected, isn’t she? I had heard of her but knew absolutely nothing about her. It is important a modern audience knows the battle it was to preserve the Peak District – and that it is a battle that has to be fought in so many different ways (street trees!) Also important for girls and boys to see a woman being strong and determined and effective in the world.”
Phase 3
Legacy
Discussions about more performances are ongoing.
There is work towards creating school resources to ensure that Ethel’s story can be shared with more young people.
Cassa sums up the project:
“The brilliantly scripted and acted performance educated dozens of secondary school students, their school community and hundreds of members of their families and communities, about the history of CPRE PDSY and the achievements of Ethel - and Gerald - over the last 100 years. It can’t be underestimated what strength of feeling has been generated amongst those involved from Newfield School and the surrounding communities (and the invited audiences) for Ethel’s work and her huge significance in shaping and protecting Sheffield and the Peak District. Audience feedback was extremely positive, with many hearing of Ethel's work for the first time.”
Legacy
Discussions about more performances are ongoing.
There is work towards creating school resources to ensure that Ethel’s story can be shared with more young people.
Cassa sums up the project:
“The brilliantly scripted and acted performance educated dozens of secondary school students, their school community and hundreds of members of their families and communities, about the history of CPRE PDSY and the achievements of Ethel - and Gerald - over the last 100 years. It can’t be underestimated what strength of feeling has been generated amongst those involved from Newfield School and the surrounding communities (and the invited audiences) for Ethel’s work and her huge significance in shaping and protecting Sheffield and the Peak District. Audience feedback was extremely positive, with many hearing of Ethel's work for the first time.”
