Heroic woman to be honoured
Norah Balls fought alongside suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst to secure the vote for women. Now a blue plaque in Tynemouth commemorates the remarkable women’s rights campaigner, writes TONY HENDERSON
ATIRELESS fighter for the right of women to vote is to be honoured with a commemorative blue plaque and an exhibition on her life and achievements.
Norah Elizabeth Balls, the daughter of a North Shields mariner, fought alongside suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst to secure the vote for women.
As well as being a prominent member of the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), she was also a magistrate, a Tynemouth town councillor, and a founder member of Tynemouth Business and Professional Women’s Club, and worked for the good of her community.
Miss Balls helped to set up the Girl Guides movement in Northumberland, operated as an air raid warden during the Second World War, and retired to a flat in Bamburgh Castle, at the invitation of the third Lady Armstrong. She later moved into a cottage in Bamburgh and died in 1980, aged 94.
North Tyneside Council and the
Old Low Light heritage centre, based on North Shields Fish Quay, will unveil a blue plaque today on International Women’s Day, at 36 King Edward Road, where Miss Balls lived between 1902 and 1936.
Members of her family will take part in the unveiling event.
The house was originally built for Miss Balls’ family and named Deneside, and the current owners have reinstated the original name of the property ahead of the unveiling.
A display about her life and achievements will then start at the Old Low Light as part of a programme of activities dedicated to her throughout March.
North Tyneside Mayor Norma Redfearn said: “I am delighted that we can bring people together on International Women’s Day to celebrate Norah’s life and achievements.
“We owe Norah and her fellow suffragettes an enormous debt of gratitude for all that she achieved. She
was an outstanding public servant and the way she campaigned with such determination should be an inspiration to all.
“The blue plaque is a token of how much she means to us in North Tyneside and a reminder to future generations to remember the life of an extraordinary woman.”
Nina Brown, a volunteer and trustee at the Old Low Light who has researched and curated the Deeds Not Words exhibition, said: “Women today stand on the shoulders of women like Norah.
During my research, I discovered a champion for women, with great courage for a cause, adventurous and with a strong belief in service to her community.
“The more information I found, the more surprised I was that she is not more celebrated in our community.
“In a recent conversation with her great nieces and great nephew, they described her as having a humble presence, just getting on and accomplishing things, one of life’s great givers.”
Miss Balls was born in Linskill Street, in North Shields, in 1886. Her family home of Deneside was later sold to Holy Saviours Church and used as the vicarage for 60 years.
Ms Brown will give a talk on Norah’s life at the centre on Saturday at 11am.
Alongside the display will be “The Walking Coat of Significant Stories”, a project led by North Tyneside Women’s Voices.
The black vintage silk swing 1950s coat has a tapestry of suffragette leader Mrs Pankhurst on the back. The front is bordered with bows in the suffragette colours of violet, green and white.
Each bow is individually crafted to represent the variety of women involved in the suffragette movement.
The interior is a detachable cream lining including pockets embroidered with messages for women today.
Women working on the coat were from across the community and identified the names of women whose stories they admired, including well-known figures and mothers, aunts and grandmothers.
Another talk, titled Gan On Hinnies, by North East author Pat Stevens on the role of Tyneside women in winning the vote, will be at the Old Low Light on March 26 at 11am.
Tickets for each of the talks are £4 (Old Low Light members can attend for free). They can be booked online at https://oldlowlight.co.uk/whatson/
In her research Ms Brown found how Miss Balls toured the region addressing meetings, often facing angry crowds. On one occasion when quarrymen threw rocks at her, she picked them up to take home for her rockery.
When Home Secretary Winston Churchill visited Newcastle in 1909, she challenged him over votes for women and later interrupted his presentation at the Assembly Rooms in Newcastle.
A year later she joined more than 300 suffragettes in London who tried to force their way into the House of Commons to deliver a petition to the Prime Minister. She was arrested on three occasions in all.
Like many suffragettes she set aside her campaign at the start of the First World War and set up a canteen in Whitley Bay for soldiers.
Through her work with the WSPU, she got to know Lady Parsons – wife of steam turbine inventor Charles Parsons – who invited her to help set up the Girl Guides in Northumberland.
Miss Balls became the first Northumberland county secretary and in 1932 she was awarded the Oakleaf for her outstanding contribution to Guiding.
With Lady Parsons, she was involved in the development of the Electrical Association for Women set up to educate women to make the best use of electricity in their homes.
She was also chair of the Tynemouth Unemployed Welfare Committee and of the Tyneside Union of Girls’ Clubs.