Ferguson's Gang would nowadays perhaps be called 'influencers'. They raised and donated significant funds for the National Trust, including Newtown Old Town Hall on the Isle of Wight. A century on, their madcap antics reveal free spirits who lovingly left behind something lasting.
While contributing to their community, these fiercely self-defined, formidable women of privilege never allowed fickle public opinion to keep them from enjoying inclusive, idiosyncratic lives.
The self-guided walk will begin at the Newtown Visitors Centre at 10am where National Trust staff will welcome and introduce visitors to the site. Walkers are then invited to explore the location and Nature Reserve, returning to the Old Town Hall where they will meet both Peggy Gladstone, the leader of the gang, and a young contemporay narrator.
The walk will last for around 40 minutes and the performance will be approximately 30 minutes. Please wear sensible shoes and weather-appropriate clothing due to the rural nature of the site.
The event will coincide with the Isle of Wight Walking Festival, an event for keen hikers, relaxed wanderers, and curious explorers where a number of varied walks will be taking place.
Written by Anmarie Bowler
Performed by Kat Burton
Directed by Rebecca Tremain
Creative Producer Franko Figueiredo, StoneCrabs Theatre
The Performed Walk project from StoneCrabs Theatre is a series of four guided tours around the Isle of Wight focusing on LGBTQ+ historical figures associated with the island. Other events follow in the footsteps of Oscar Wilde in Ryde, Virginia Woolf in Freshwater, and Charlotte Mew in Newport.
The project is made possible by the National Lottery Community Fund, Isle of Wight Heritage Services and in collaboration with Queer Heritage and Collections Network Creative Projects programme supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
