DEDICATED TREE PLANTING
HONOUR ELLEN STRANGE AND ALL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS
10:30am ON THURSDAY 20th MARCH
EMMANUEL CHURCH, CHAPEL LANE, HOLCOMBE BL8 4NB
Since 2014 there has been an annual remembrance walk up
onto Holcombe Moor outside Ramsbottom to
the oldest site in the world to commemorate a domestic violence victim, Ellen
Strange, murdered there in 1761 by her husband. Since when local people have
laid stones and over time a cairn has been formed in memory of Ellen and all
the victims and survivors of domestic abuse and violence, virtually all of whom
are women and girls.
You can watch the event at :- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0_uhqtluol&t=5s
You can read more at:- http://markwrite.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/ellen-strangebooklet.pdf
Now following extensive research, Ellen's final,
currently unmarked resting place has been located. Fittingly this happens to be
the spot where the annual walk starts.
On 20th March at 10:30 the Breightmet
Butterflies Women's group will lead a planting of a rosemary bush at Ellen's
resting place, followed by short speeches, dedications and a minute of
reflection. Flowers are welcome to be laid at the resting place
For more details contact Mark Metcalf on 07392852561
metcalfmc@outlook .com
Ellen Strange: Final resting place of murdered woman honoured
ReplyDeleteBury Times
http://www.burytimes.co.uk/news/25026364.ellen-strange-final-resting-place-murdered-woman-honoured/
The resting place of a woman who was killed in Bury around 300 years ago has been found and honoured with a moving ceremony.
Ellen Strange is believed to have been murdered by her husband, John Broadley, in January 1761 on Holcombe Moor.
She has since become a symbol for victims of domestic abuse in the Bury area and beyond.
Each July, a group of people honour her and other victims with an annual memorial walk up Holcombe Hill where an ancient cairn stands for people to leave flowers and trinkets.
Her final resting place had remained a mystery until recently, when it was located in the graveyard of Emmanuel Church on Chapel Lane in Holcombe.
Around fifteen people gathered in the cemetery on Thursday, March 20 to mark the discovery.
Members from Breightmet Butterflies, a women’s support group based in Bolton, planted a rosemary tree to signify love and remembrance.
Church reader Michael Burton led the outdoor ceremony and spoke candidly about people “never really knowing what happens behind closed doors” and how awareness of domestic abuse has changed over recent decades.
Francesca Platt, the co-founder of Breightmet Butterflies shared an emotive speech.
She said: “Each year we do the memorial walk and read out a list of domestic abuse victims. Each time, it seems to go on forever and never gets any shorter.”
Mr Burton also read several prayers to honour all victims of domestic abuse and the importance of advocacy.
Flowers were laid on Ellen’s grave by Karen Hope from Bolton’s Endeavour Project which supports all victims of domestic abuse and their pets.
The small stone is only recognisable by the engraving ‘1024 A’.
Journalist Mark Metcalf was also at the event and has previously made a short film about Ellen's life and death.
He said: “I grew up with domestic abuse in the home and when I worked as a factory shop steward [union representative], I saw the wider impact. Women would end up taking time off and losing their jobs due to abuse.
“It’s an issue of great importance and we must keep raising awareness.”