The street where she was born
We took part in a project to tell the story of Ethel Carnie Holdsworth.
We told Ethel's story at Great Harwood Library. She worked at Delph Road Mill, Great Harwood, part time, age 11 years old and full time at St Lawrence Mill at 13 years old. She described her experience in the mill as 'slavery'.
Clarion Choir and local schoolchildren performed a play about the life of Ethel at Oswaldtwistle Community Theatre.
She published a book of poems, Rhymes from the Factory in 1907, a second book of poems, Songs of a Factory Girl, in 1911, Voices of Womanhood in 1914 and was the first working class woman to have a novel published, Miss Nobody, in 1913.
Through narrative and song we paid tribute to Ethel, born in Oswaldtwistle.
She published at least 10 novels and 3 books of poetry and highlighted the hardships of working people in mills and factories. She has been long overlooked.