Ethel Carnie Holdsworth: A Clear Light and a New World

Starting the year, we’ll be holding our January talk virtually via a Zoom link to Jenny Harper as a slightly belated birthday celebration for Ethel Carnie Holdsworth, who was born in Blackburn on 1 January 1886.

Ethel Carnie Holdsworth was a rare example of an early 20th Century female working class published novelist. She was a prolific writer, journalist and a fierce social activist, campaigning on important issues such as poverty, gender prejudice and workers’ rights. Between June 1923 and July 1925, whilst living at Slack Top, Heptonstall, she co-edited the anti-fascist periodical The Clear Light.

Carnie Holdsworth recognised the threat posed by fascism much earlier than others across the British political landscape and in The Clear Light sought to stir the industrial workers of the north into action. She was also in pursuit of a socialist utopian ideal and envisaged a revolution which would overcome both capitalism and fascism.

Jenny’s talk ill focus on her work in The Clear Light and on her pioneering vision within it.

Details will be provided by email to those who register close to the date.

Jenny Harper is a University of Reading SWW DTP-funded PhD researcher working on a collaborative doctoral award investigating the work of Ethel Carnie Holdsworth.  Supervisors are Dr Nicola Wilson and Dr Simon Rennie, working with Lancashire-based Mid Pennine Arts, as a cultural arts partner. Her family are from Nelson, Lancashire and were cotton weavers, like Carnie Holdsworth.