Preston City Council scrub away artist Shannon Jackson's striking mural of iconic city suffragette Edith Rigby

Street cleaners have scrubbed away a striking new mural celebrating the legacy of iconic Preston suffragette, Edith Rigby.

The city council’s street cleaning team unceremoniously removed the artwork from its home in Laurel Street, Avenham, on Friday morning (July 17).

Preston City Council were approached for comment but has so far failed to provide an explanation for why the art was removed.

Edith Rigby is remembered as one of Lancashire's most important suffragettes. In Preston, a blue plaque marks her former home in Winckley Square and she has been proudly commemorated in exhibitions, public events and local heritage projects.

But city artist Shannon Jackson found her tribute to the trailblazing suffragette swiftly scrubbed away, days after it was unveiled on the outside wall of her workspace at Creativity Works Preston on Monday (July 17).

The 30-year-old, who is studying for a masters in fine art at the University of Lancashire, said Preston City Council have not provided her with an explanation for why her work was removed.

She said: “At the moment, I still haven’t heard anything from the council about why it's been removed.

“The stencil was jet-washed off on Friday morning, just as I got to work! I've spoken with the council and they said they’re looking into the matter.

“The artwork was created with the permission and support of Creativity Works Preston as a tribute to Edith Rigby and her fight for women's rights.

“It was based on a historical photograph of her arrest, and it was the result of weeks of research, design work and stencil cutting.

“Hopefully, it was just a mistake. I like to think so, considering the city has a new mural trail! These artworks bring in tourism and raise awareness about the city’s heritage.

“Edith Rigby was arrested for challenging the status quo. More than a century later, a stencil depicting that arrest has sparked its own conversation about public art, heritage and who gets to tell local stories. Whatever happens next, that's a conversation worth having.”

Shannon added: “I'd like to thank Steve Egan and everyone at Creativity Works Preston for supporting the project, along with Preston Herstory Group, Margaret Keane, Preserving Preston's Heritage, Joseph Gudgeon, Friends of Edith Rigby, Ella Lucia, and everyone else who has shared, discussed and championed the work.

“Thankfully, I still have the stencils so I can paint it back. Although, I might re-do the stencil a little bigger and more detailed next time.”

Proud Preston - who was Edith Rigby?

Edith Rigby (1872–1950) was one of Preston's most influential campaigners and a leading figure in the women's suffrage movement in Lancashire.

She became known for her willingness to take direct action in the fight for women's right to vote and later for her work in social reform.

Born Edith Rayner in Eccleston, near Chorley, she married Dr Charles Rigby and moved to Preston, where the couple lived at Winckley Square. Unlike many women of her social class, Edith became deeply involved in improving the lives of working-class women in the town.

She founded the Preston branch of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) in 1907, bringing the militant suffrage campaign to Lancashire.