Violet primroses planted on Thurston suffragette’s grave

A votes for women campaigner has been re-discovered buried in a Thurston churchyard.

“A friend of mine who was brought up in Thurston told me about a woman she remembered from her childhood who was described as a retired actress and suffragette,” said Helen Geake, former Time Team presenter and Green Party parliamentary candidate for Bury St Edmunds in the 2015 and 2017 general elections.

The commemorations of the centenary of suffrage last month prompted further research into the life of Adeline Bourne, who lived in Thurston from the early 1950s-1964 and is buried in the village churchyard.

“She was an amazing woman who, apart from being a well-known actress in this country and on Broadway, was a founder member of the Actresses’ Franchise League in 1908,” said Helen.

“I grew up taking it for granted women could vote in elections, but since becoming more involved in politics I can appreciate the tremendous struggle that went on over 100 years ago to help achieve this right.”

Helen and resident Wendy Turner planted violet primroses on her grave to mark International Women’s Day on March 8.