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Sinners, Scroungers, Saints: Lone mothers, past and present
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October 2007 Women's Library exhibition 17 October 2007 - 29 March 2008.
The Women's Library continues its programme of groundbreaking exhibitions with Sinners, Scroungers, Saints: Lone mothers past and present.
Developed in collaboration with One Parent Families|Gingerbread, the exhibition showcases new research and tells the stories of lone mothers from the 1700s to the present day. The exhibits range from an 18th-century bastardy examination taken by the parish of St Mary Islington, to letters to agony aunts of women's magazines, all of them encouraging visitors to challenge perceptions and question stereotypes.
Speaking at the exhibition's launch, Chris Pond, Chief Executive of One Parent Families|Gingerbread, said: 'Many of the challenges facing lone parents today are the very same as those depicted in the exhibition. On current trends, it is estimated that between one-third and one-half of all children will spend some time in a one-parent family; half of them will live in poverty and that is a scandal for one of the richest countries in the world.'
The exhibition is organised around the following main themes: Relative Values, Unforeseen Circumstances, Forced Separations, Alone by Choice, Sinners, Scroungers, Saints, Keeping it in the Family, Adoption, Making Ends Meet, Finding Support, Building New Families, and Going it Alone. The exhibition contains archive material as well as personal testimonies that tell a rich and wide range of stories.
Bringing the material right up to date the Building New Families section includes interviews with One Parent Families|Gingerbread Ambassadors broadcaster Lisa Aziz, yachtswoman Tracy Edwards, basketball star John Amaechi and author Martina Cole, as well as with ex-Unison leader Rodney Bickerstaffe, all of whom are either lone parents themselves or were raised by lone parents.
Sinners, Scroungers, Saints: lone mothers, past and present will feature at The Women's Library, London Metropolitan University, Old Castle Street, London E1 7NT from 17 October 2007 to 29 March 2008.
Exhibition opening hours are Monday to Friday 9.30am - 5.30pm (late night opening Thursday 8pm) and Saturday 10.00am - 4.00pm. It is closed on Sundays.
If you would like to organise a group visit, this is free, though donations are welcome.
Please call 020 7320 3505 or email moreinfo@thewomenslibrary.ac.uk
For further information visit www.thewomenslibrary.ac.uk and Women's Library exhibition page.
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