Our ‘Women Of Rossendale’ Project For International Women’s Day 2021

Ada Rhodes

The following information on Ada Rhodes was written by our current President, Alison Driver.

Ada Rhodes MBE: A “Busy And Familiar Little Figure” In Bacup.

Born Ada Whipp on 14 March 1885, Ada’s first husband, John Aked, died in 1939. She married her second husband, Arthur Rhodes in April 1949 and was his Mayoress in 1948-49.

Ada was a teacher for over 50 years, which left its mark on her voluntary work. It gave her a keen interest in education at every stage, locally and up to county level. She was a keen organist, playing regularly in her local church St Saviours where she had lifelong connections.

Rationing didn’t come to an end in England until 1954. In 1951, six years after the end of the second world war, local papers reported on the efforts of the “good folk” of East Lancashire to celebrate Christmas. Ada was described in the article as the only woman member of Bacup Town Council. It was reported that she “went one better than the traditional Christmas boxes, she knitted festive stockings and filled them with sweets, cigarettes, fruit, nuts, and money, for her milkman, grocer, butcher, and dustmen”.

Ada was the first female Mayor of Bacup in 1956-57, and one of only two women who were Mayors of the Borough in their own right. Ada was an Alderman on Bacup Council and a Lancashire County Councillor for four years. As a Conservative councillor, Ada is said to have never let politics interfere with her efforts on behalf of those in need.

Ada was granted Freedom of the Borough of Bacup in 1959, one of only 16 people, and the only woman, to ever have been given this honour.

1958 was a busy year for Ada. In January she was elected the first ever woman President of the Rossendale Organists’ Association. At the annual dinner in Burton’s Café in Waterfoot, Ada made an appeal for each member of the organisation to obtain one new member for the association.

The first meeting of the Bacup Cancer Research Committee, at the time called the British Empire Cancer Campaign, was on 15 September 1958 in the Council Chamber at Stubbylee Hall, Bacup. The Committee was formed from representatives “from every place of worship, the fire services, civil defence, the police, nurses, doctors etc”. Ada Rhodes was elected as the Secretary of the Committee, a post that she held for 20 years.

One of the first events that Ada helped organise for Bacup Cancer Research Committee was a café held for a whole week in October 1958 in the Electricity Showrooms in Bacup. The records of that week show that they used 68 quarts of milk bought from Mr Isherwood the milkman; 22 dozen finger teacakes, 17 dozen currant teacakes, 67 dozen small meat pies and 34 dozen assorted cakes from Schofields Bakers and Committee Memebrs cooked 80lbs of marrowfat peas to serve with the pies. The Committee made an astounding profit of £210 from the café which is equivalent to £4,938.66 in 2021.

The following year, 1959, the Committee organised a garden party in Moorlands Park on 22 August 1959. The Coconutters opened the event, there was a treasure hunt and pony and trap rides. Volunteers served almost 300 cups of tea and ice cream. This event raised £124 for Cancer research (the equivalent to £2390.92 in 2021).

Ada was awarded the MBE in January 1960 for “public services in Bacup”, living much of her life on Ribble Street in Bacup. In newspaper articles of the time, Ada’s vigour was commented on when working towards a charitable end, she “is to be envied by people much her junior and scores can speak personally of the efforts she puts into whatever organisation requires her help”.

In 1978 Ada was elected President of Bacup Cancer Research Committee “in respect and thankfulness” for all her years in office.

An Impressive List Of Firsts For Ada Rhodes:

• First woman President of the Rossendale Organists Association
• First woman Mayor of Bacup
• First woman Alderman in Bacup
• First woman county councillor for the District
• First woman Freeman of the Borough.

Ada served as Governor for several local schools, was a member of the Divisional Health Committee, sat on the Rossendale Youth Advisory Committee, was the founder of the Bacup Darby and Joan Club, was a working member of the WVS and for several years organised the Bacup Poppy Appeal Day and the Alexandra Rose Day Appeal.

Ada died in Cumbria aged 99 in 1985 and is buried in Bacup Cemetery with her family.