Electric Dreams, a celebration of women in energy – past, present and future – reaches its climax in November, with unmissable events in London, Bristol, Wakefield, Newcastle and Glasgow.
November 2024 marks the centenary of the founding of the Electrical Association for Women (EAW), which had its roots in WES. The EAW set out to educate all women in the new science of electricity, to relieve them from domestic drudgery, and to liberate them to pursue careers outside the home. Branches sprang up across the UK and the organisation – which helped to introduce labour-saving electrical items into millions of households – continued to thrive for 60 years, becoming a powerful engine of 20th-century feminism.
Building on the unique legacy of the EAW, Electric Dreams 2024 is a nationwide festival that not only celebrates the past but also highlights the achievements of women working in energy today and examines their increasingly important roles in the transition to Net Zero.
4 November LONDON Women in Industry and Innovation A live-streamed panel discussion at the RSA inspired by the life of Dame Caroline Haslett. Yasmin Ali, Dawn Bonfield and Henrietta Heald in conversation with Eva Pascoe. RSA House, 8 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6EZ. https://www.thersa.org/events/2024/11/women-in-industry-and-innovation
9 November BRISTOL Electricity: Emancipating Women Coinciding with a Stradling Collection exhibition on the same theme (running from 19 October to 16 November), Graeme Gooday and Dawn Bonfield tell the story of Bristol’s All-Electric House, a phenomenon of the 1930s, which was the brainchild of the Electrical Association for Women. Stradling Collection, 48 Park Row, Bristol BS1 5LH. https://stradlingcollection.org/all-electric-house/
12 November LONDON Electric Dreams 2024: Celebrating Women in Energy A series of fascinating discussions about women’s roles in the energy sector culminates in a keynote address by Professor Dame Julia King, Baroness Brown of Cambridge, chair of the UK Climate Change Adaptation Committee. Panel speakers include Anne Locker, Sahar Danesh, Ann Oakley, Kenneth Dunn and Titi Oliydie. IET London, 2 Savoy Place, London WC2R 0BL. https://events.theiet.org/events/electric-dreams-2024-celebrating-women-in-energy
12 November WAKEFIELD From Lucy Hanson to Mabel Matthews AIEE Katie Carpenter and Graeme Gooday explain how a Wakefield-born woman helped to electrify Britain. West Yorkshire History Centre. https://www.wakefieldhistoricalsociety.org.uk/whs-events/lecture-programme/
16 November NEWCASTLE Electric Dreams at the Common Room An electrifying day for all the family. Lego, games, model-making, book readings and hands-on activities – all related to energy and climate change. In association with Northern Powergrid, WES and IET local clusters, Northern Gas Network, and others. The Common Room, Neville Hall, Westgate Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 1SE. https://thecommonroom.org.uk/event/electric-dreams/
26 November GLASGOW Scotswomen in an Electrically Minded Country Nina Baker describes the activities of the EAW in Scotland. Part of the Glasgow Museums Weekday Wonder series. Kelvin Hall, 1445 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8AW. A similar event takes place in Helensburgh on 19 November. https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/weekday-wonder-the-electrical-association-for-women-in-glasgow-tickets-1016709695067
For more information, see www.magnificentwomen.co.uk