Story
Honouring A Woman Ahead Of Her Time, Saving A Slice Of Sheffield's History
Mary Anne Rawson was one of the earliest campaigners for the Universal Abolition of Slavery in an age when women were expected to stay quiet. She devoted her life to fighting for liberty, education and religious freedom. In 1885 she was laid to rest in the tiny graveyard of Zion Congregational Church, Attercliffe, Sheffield, alongside her parents and sisters. And then she was forgotten. Her grave was vandalised, covered with fly-tipping and the graveyard was neglected for 50 years. Locked away for the last two decades, her grave ended up beneath a fence, overgrown and hidden by vegetation and litter.
Now the graveyard has been advertised for sale. The only way to ensure it is preserved is to buy it. The other burial includethe families of early industrialistswho made Sheffield great - cutlers, foundry-owners, craftsmen and important radical social reformers. We need your help to save a slice of history and honour a woman, ahead of her time, who dedicated her life to improving the lives of others. We are applying for grant-funding, but need your help to cover legal costs that the grant will not cover.
Please donate today. Every little helps. Please email us at ziongraveyard@gmail.com so that we receive your contact details as we would like to be able to say thank you and keep you informed. Thank you for your help. For further information please visit our website: www.ziongraveyard.btck.co.uk
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