Emily Williamson statue proposal

Emily Williamson Statue Proposal

Emily Williamson (founder RSPB) 34, was so horrified by the fashion for feathered hats that she launched a campaign to halt the plumage trade. She invited her friends to tea at her home in Didsbury, Manchester, and asked them to sign a pledge to wear no feathers. And so the Society for the Protection of Birds was born. The year was 1889. All of its members were women. In 1921, following a 30 year campaign, the Plumage Act was passed, ending the trade in exotic bird skins. Vulnerable species began to recover. And the RSPB moved onto other campaigns and issues.
Find out more Emily Williamson Statue Campaign

Hats Off For Emily Williamson

Bronze, cast stone

Commissioned shortlist maquette, unveiled 1st July 2021 on the centenary of The Plumage Act, along with the other three shortlisted works.

For me, Emily's story had to be about the hat, the feathers and the birds.

Hats symbolise authority and power, the bigger the hat the bigger the statement, but hats with feathers flaunted a darker side to authority and power – that of exploitation and murder - the exploitation of women and child labour and of course the death and destruction of birds (many to near extinction). Things had to change. The ‘murderous millinery’ trade had to stop.

The removal of a hat shows a mark of respect so to ‘turn it on its head’ would create new meaning. A hat adorned with stuffed exotic birds and plumage turned on its head will symbolise a preservation of life rather than the destruction of it.
My proposal has Emily, sitting with quiet authority, in her garden with arm outstretched proffering an upturned feathered and exotic stuffed bird hat back to the birds as a bird bath, – a place of sanctuary and symbol of protection. A place where the beauty of the bird can be observed as a living creature. A robin sits on the rim of the hat looking back at Emily, a gesture of hope and new beginnings.

Visitors can sit with Emily in the grounds of her home, have a cup of tea, connect with nature and the birds.

Vote here

Press Features

My application

Like many of us, during this unprecedented time of uncertainty due to covid-19 with long episodes of isolation and loss of freedom, bird watching has become a bit of an obsession. My obsession began in the first lockdown, gazing out of the window watching the birds and admiring their joyful song and natural freedom, and in total contrast to our enforced incarceration. This loss of freedom inspired my Isolation series of work.
Reconnecting with nature has been a therapeutic distraction from the continual feed of bad news and social detachment. As we come out at the other end of this pandemic, I hope this connection to nature through birds continues as a reminder of the importance of freedom and the fragile balance of the ecosystem.
So when I read the story about Emily Williamson statue proposal, and her passion to protect birds from the atrocities of the feather trade, I knew I had to apply.

I am thrilled to have my first public statue proposal shortlisted. Now the costume and props to be made for my reference life model. Then the maquette can be made, cast in bronze ready for the centenary of the Plumage Act in July

My set up for this year's RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

proposal

Emily Williamson Statue clay sketch

Here is a quick clay sketch to show the 'likeness' achievable from the one and only photograph available of Emily as an adult

Because of Emily’s impassioned disapproval of the use of bird feathers in fashion and her fight against ‘murderous millenary’ I propose the use of a hat, with stuffed birds, as illustrated, to tell the story. (I believe these to be the Fieldfare songbird, and currently in the RSPB red list as a threatened specie). However, any bird of significance can be considered.
I propose the hat to be ‘turned on its head’ and presented by Emily upside down. Her outstretched hands will proffer the hat back to the birds as a birdbath – a symbol of protection, a sanctuary of safety and a place where the beauty of the bird can be observed as a living creature.
Inside the rim or engraved on the ground could be the words
             ‘1889 the fight against ‘murderous millenery’
            or
             ‘That Lady-Members shall refrain from wearing the feathers of any bird not killed for purposes of food, the ostrich only excepted.’
A sculpture of a living bird to be perched on the rim, or bathing within the hat

Hats Off For Emily Williamson

My proposal is a life size statue of Emily in a Victorian bustle day-dress, sitting with quiet authority in her garden on an open stone curved bench.

The upturned hat birdbath on her lap, with bird looking back at her, symbolising the protection of all birds - having their beauty admired living in nature rather than in lifeless fashion.

The open stone bench would allow visibility and visitor access all around her in an intimate way.

Emily will be part of her surrounding rather than towering monument.

Her visitors can sit with her in the grounds of her home, have a cup of tea, and listen to the birds.

Mock-up of Emily Williamson Statue proposal 'Hats Off For Emily Williamson' using model