Free exhibition at the Isles of Scilly Steamship Office in Hugh Town, St Mary's, runs until summer 2027
A new exhibition celebrating the lives and voices of women across the Isles of Scilly has opened at the Isles of Scilly Steamship Office on Hugh Street, St Mary's. No Woman is an Island is free to visit and runs until summer 2027.
The exhibition features the stories of 60 women, from young women to some of Scilly's oldest residents, and is the first project to focus solely on the stories of women from across the Isles of Scilly.
The exhibition is a collaboration between the Isles of Scilly Museum and Cultural Centre and feminist production company Scary Little Girls, and would not be possible without the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
It brings together portraits of 47 island women by photographer Christine Bradshaw, quotes from women across the islands, five suitcase installations commissioned from island artists, and a 25-minute film featuring the voices of women from across Scilly.
The project draws on more than 18 months of work with women across the islands. Over several visits, Scary Little Girls recorded in-depth interviews and hosted a series of community sharing events, also titled No Woman is an Island.
The exhibition project team (Christine Bradshaw)
Lydia Bassett, director of the Isles of Scilly Museum and Cultural Centre, said: “It's been wonderful to have this great space in the middle of Hugh Town, and we're really excited to share this exhibition celebrating the incredible women of Scilly.
“The new museum will be filled with amazing stories from across the islands, but there are a lot of bold sea captains, heroic gig rowers, lighthouse keepers and rescuers – and we wanted to put Scilly's women front and centre. The exhibition is free, so people can just pop in when the Steamship office is open and see the film, photos and quotes.”
Rebecca Mordan, artistic director of Scary Little Girls, said: “In a small room, in very little time, you can find out about the enormous range of talent, vivacity and skills of Scilly women. There are a disproportionate number of incredible women here – there must be something in the water. They grow such impressive women on Scilly.”
The suitcase installations were commissioned because Scary Little Girls' travelling Karavan, a mobile archive of Cornish stories, could not be brought to the islands. Instead, five women artists from across Scilly created suitcase dioramas inspired by the archive.
Quotes and stories from the women of Scilly
“My grandad was born and raised on the islands…he was in the Navy in the war. On leave he went with the cricket team, from Scilly over to Sennan and on tour in his Navy's officers’ uniform, looking gorgeous, met my grandmother in Sennen. They met, fell in love and married, and then, still during wartime, she then sells two properties…and buys this house, Mincarlo.” Bryony, St Mary
“Bryher wouldn’t run without the women.” Jill, seasonal worker, Bryher
“I think it's amazing the amount of people who don’t listen to the boatmen. Ken Jenkins, who I was married to before, he wasn't the most patient. He took his mother to St Mary's. She went on the tripper boat, you know, the scheduled trip boat, and she didn't come down to the quay on time. And he left his own mum, and she was not very pleased, but I said you were a fool to yourself because you had to go back and fetch her. You should have waited, because she was a lovely lady as well.” Rosemary, long term inhabitant of Tresco
“We came over to St Martin's on a day trip, and we were wandering along and spotted the vineyard…Val and Graham, who are the couple who started the vineyard back in the mid 90s…just happened to mention that they were thinking of retiring. Did we know anybody who might fancy a vineyard?” Holly, vineyard owner, St Martins
“No, I never been seasick ever. No.” Dorothy, born on St Agnes
The stories gathered through the project will also form a permanent display in the new Isles of Scilly Museum and Cultural Centre, which is being developed in the restored Grade II-listed Town Hall in Hugh Town and is due to open in June 2027.
The History Press has commissioned a book of island women's stories based on the interviews. Scary Little Girls will return to the islands in June 2027, and the Museum and Cultural Centre will hold events across the islands next summer to mark the book's publication, combining women's stories from the museum's archives with live performances and readings.
Visitor information
Exhibition
No Woman is an Island
Venue
Isles of Scilly Steamship Office, Hugh Street, St Mary's
Dates
Open now until summer 2027
Opening times
During Steamship Office opening hours
Admission
Free – donations welcome
More information
iosmuseumandculturalcentre.org