SINGER-songwriter Louise Jordan will bring to life the special story of a suffragette at a concert on October 11 at Victoria Hall in Settle.

From Fordingbridge in Hampshire, she will perform her one-woman show The Hard Way about working-class suffragette Hannah Mitchell who grew up in rural poverty and later became a city magistrate.

The Hard Way will be presented with live keyboard, guitar and vocals along with a recorded audio soundscape.

Louise said: “The performance brings Hannah’s inspirational story to life in her own words, with original songs and storytelling following six months’ research into various archives.

“Hannah was witty, intelligent and determined humanitarian and The Hard Way celebrates her life.

“Born in 1872 into rural poverty in the Derbyshire Peak District, she escaped domestic drudgery to become a campaigner, speaker, writer, suffragette, councillor and finally a Manchester City magistrate.”

Louise received Arts Council England funding to develop The Hard Way. She is renowned for gutsy and meticulously-research projects, and having “the diligence of a scholar and the heart of an artist”.

Louise previously performed one-woman show ‘No Petticoats Here’, and while writing a song about the ‘Votes for Women’ campaign for UK Parliament’s Vote 100 project in 2018 she found out about Hannah Mitchell’s remarkable story.

She said: “History often confines working class women to the home as unremarkable figures destined to a life of domestic drudgery.

“I want to celebrate Hannah Mitchell as a woman who spoke out about the need for equality amongst people, who became a public figure in addition to managing the workload expected of a woman born into her position.

“Hannah took action, took responsibility and realised that not all change is revolutionary.

“The Hard Way brings Hannah’s story to life – she was witty with a dry sense of humour, intelligent, honest and compassionate, and this offered me wide scope as a songwriter to write varied songs dealing with a wide range of human emotion and experience.”

A self-taught, self-made woman, Hannah left home aged 14 years, exchanging one exploitative situation for another.

In 1906 she found herself face to face with Winston Churchill at a public meeting and went on to campaign on public platforms across Lancashire and in London.

This show celebrates one woman’s determination to take power in the face of insurmountable barriers, motivated by a desire to improve life for those around her.

Visit settlevictoriahall.org.uk or call 01729 825718 to book tickets.