Three generations of the same family have now been able to reclaim the wedding dress their ancestor, a suffragette, wore over a century ago.

77-year-old Jennifer Slater inspected the precious heirloom together with her daughter and her two grandchildren, the youngest of whom is eight years old.

The dress was worn by Mrs Slater’s grandmother Lily Cathcart at her wedding in 1910 and is kept in the Leeds Discovery Centre.

Her visit was a tribute to the legacy of Lily, who, according to family records, was an active and passionate advocate for women’s suffrage.

Lily aspired to a teaching career and became a student teacher at Quarry Mount School, where she learned her skills in practice.

She went to Darlington Training College in 1905 to obtain her teaching qualification.

On 10 September 1910, at the age of 26, she married her husband Charles in a “lavish affair” at Buslingthorpe Church in Leeds.

Mrs Slater said the family never saw her grandmother in the wedding dress because the photographer did not show up on the wedding day.

However, when they visited the venue, they were “fascinated” to discover that pieces of confetti from their wedding were still stuck in the fabric.

Ms Slater said her grandmother always encouraged her three daughters to campaign for women’s rights and advised them to “get your certificates and qualifications, then you can live independent lives and not be dependent on any man.”

Lily died in April 1969 at the age of 85, but her legacy lived on in her daughters and eight grandchildren, seven of whom followed in her footsteps and became teachers.

Mrs Slater, herself a retired teacher and headteacher, said: “My grandmother’s achievements were truly extraordinary for that time.”

“Back then, women hardly went to work, let alone study and get a degree.

“Given this, it is not surprising that she was part of the suffragette movement because she was able to realise her own ambitions in a way that 99% of other women were not able to.”

She added that her grandmother’s values ​​were passed on to the women in the family.

“I think we all understand that we have to be like our mothers and grandmothers, who showed us what it means to reach our potential and have the means to be independent.”

Although Lily’s wedding dress is too fragile to be displayed permanently, it remains part of the center’s fashion and textile collection.

Councillor Salma Arif, Leeds City Council’s executive member for adult social care, active lifestyles and culture, said: “The history of Leeds is full of fascinating stories and people who laid the foundations for the city we know today.

“It is wonderful to have the chance through our museums and galleries to learn more about them, to be inspired by their experiences and to ensure that their contribution is not forgotten by future generations.”

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