Poetry, Archives, Justice: Celebrating International Women’s Day

Femina Culpa consists of Linda McKenna, Kelly Creighton, Emma McKervey and Milena Williamson. Their recent poetry collections were written out of historical research and archival materials, based on nineteenth-century court cases and the lives of working-class women. Linda explores the case of Elizabeth Dunham, who was tried in the Old Bailey and sent down to Bedlam. Kelly’s pamphlet investigates the case of the Staten Island witch, Polly Bodine. Emma’s work explores the story of her great grandparents whose love letters between Greenock and the Outer Hebrides were intercepted and resulted in a Sheriff’s Court Case in Stornoway. Milena’s work investigates the case of Bridget Cleary, who was murdered by her family on suspicion of being a fairy changeling.

Join Femina Culpa as they read from their collections and share the compelling stories of the women who have inspired their poetry.