A ver. fine day
For Anne Lister it was about words and deeds - for the Ann(e)dom it’s all about the talking
For Anne Lister it was about words and deeds - for the Ann(e)dom it’s all about the talking
Sunday 4th June marked another extraordinary moment for the Save Gentleman Jack campaign. After months of planning, creative and design work and endless communications, a small plane took off from Leyland in Lancashire with a very special banner in tow. With the help of a man and his magnificent flying machine our campaign has literally flown to new heights in our promotion of Gentleman Jack and our wish to see it renewed.
The dedication of the SGJ team continues to astound me, as several members of the team over the past couple of months have probably learnt more about wind, fluctuating temperature and the formation of those pesky cumulonimbus clouds than they would ever care to acknowledge. But in the galant pursuit of saving Gentleman Jack it’s been worth it.
In recent weeks like Anne Lister, the entire SGJ team have carried with them in a tangible or a spiritual sense, a gigantic thermometer, checking daily for weather and temperature updates for Halifax through the use of mobiles, or indeed going ‘old school’, and looking to the heavens where ever we were and praying to the climate gods that the weather would hold. It does makes us all seem a bit odd I’m sure, but as we all know - it’s not illegal.
Of course the great British weather played its part in several frustrating flight cancellations over the past six months, in addition to a last minute faulty aeroplane part which crippled the plane just before take off. But with the summer months, glorious sunshine and clear skies beckoned, and the 4th June was marked in our diaries as a ver. fine day. As the saying goes - all good things come to those who wait.
The countdown began in earnest several days before take off with a press release, which was picked up by Diva magazine and the Halifax Courier. A splurge of posts on social media greeted the Ann(e)dom daily encouraging them to make paper aeroplanes, themed memes and to colour in their own hand made banner graphics. It created some wonderful trending figures in the build up to the big day.
With a flight plan confirmed and logged, the SGJ team made sure there were boots on the ground to capture and film the event - everything was set. It was confirmed that the plane had taken off and was on its way.
As 12 pm came and went I caught myself holding my breath as my excitement grew. I almost couldn’t open my twitter feed for fear it was all a dream and that this glorious idea that had been forged, probably during the early hours of a team meeting from long ago was actually a figment of my imagination.
As images and film started to filter through the twitter sphere, I took a sharp intake of breath - and then there it was..
With a backdrop of a stunning blue cloudless sky and Anne Lister’s beautiful ancestral home standing in the foreground, a small plane could be seen dragging behind it an enormous banner. Along side the beautiful artwork from Kylie Conning, the words depicted on the banner were simplicity itself.
SAVE GENTLEMAN JACK.
Jo Clarke, Campaign Reporter
June 8th 2023
For Anne Lister it was about words and deeds - for the Ann(e)dom it’s all about the talking
For Anne Lister it was about words and deeds - for the Ann(e)dom it’s all about the talking
For Anne Lister it was about words and deeds - for the Ann(e)dom it’s all about the talking
I have been struck over the past couple of months about how much talking has been done about Gentleman Jack. With a plethora of interviews, documentaries and indeed a Facebook ‘Live’ by our own SGJ team this past Saturday, it seems that words and deeds are all very well, but it is the talking that is giving the campaign extra momentum at the moment.
As a fully fledged paid up member of the Ann(e)dom, where motivation and passion for Gentleman Jack are never in short supply, it’s always wonderful to take the opportunity to wallow and immerse one’s self in other peoples joy for the show - to see their faces light up, to hear a change in vocal tone as they talk with increasing emotion about Gentleman Jack. Fandoms are of course made up of individuals with differing viewpoints and understanding of the world they inhabit. Yet since time in immemorial, it is the arts and culture of societies that have provided humanity with a common yet singular set of artistic threads for personal and shared devotion, passion, inquiry and discussion, giving both the peculiar and exceptional parts of our human natures an opportunity to come to the fore, embellishing an already rich tapestry of collective ideas, shared empathy and camaraderie.
We know as a fandom there are millions of us around the world who share an allegiance to the cultural phenomenon that is Gentleman Jack, but for most of us it’s a devotion that’s hidden from view - except for all the tweeting and the domestic fangirl corners in our homes of course.
It has been so wonderful for me to observe such passion from so many people recently who when given an opportunity to speak, do so so movingly about the impact that Anne Lister and Gentleman Jack has had on their lives. These include the extraordinary Helena Whitbread Documentary about her life, myself and others being given the opportunity to speak at the recent RTS Gentleman Jack Symposium, the numerous fans who took part in Gemma Jacob’s wonderful film Gentleman Jack Nation and Sally Wainwright whose dulcet tones filled living spaces across the U.K. with her latest interview on BBC radio. It was music to my ears. Soothing, pleasing, a source of happiness.
As dedicated fans whose knowledge and appreciation of Gentleman Jack is now like a second language - a warm blanket to throw over one’s shoulders; you almost know what other fans and invested stakeholders are going to say when they expound upon their love for Gentleman Jack. Regardless of this we as fans take the time to listen and watch anyway, enjoying the joyous anticipation of hearing some exceptionally well chosen words made up of quips and verbal repartee about our favourite tv show. It’s like watching a well loved film for the hundredth time and not caring a jot. For sharing in the common passion of others in turn validates and gives purpose to our very own. With every such moment whether it be online, or in person, whether we are doing the talking or heeding the words of others, we in turn (sometimes subliminally) rededicate ourselves to a common interest and thus a worthwhile cause - that of Saving Gentleman Jack.
Jo Clarke, Campaign Reporter
May 15th 2023
A birthday comes but once a year..
For Anne Lister it was about words and deeds - for the Ann(e)dom it’s all about the talking
A birthday comes but once a year..
Ever since I returned from Halifax a few short weeks ago, I have felt a real sense of joy and positive energy coming from the Ann(e)dom. The ALBW week long event was a marvel to behold, and although I was only in attendance for less than 36 hours, the inspiration I gained from attending is immeasurable.
The activities, events, talks, Q&A’s, workshops, book signings, walks, a Regency inspired ball and film festival were organised with such care and attention by teams at Calderdale council and ALBW, and were attended by hundreds of people.
Dozens of images, video and commentary were shared in real time across social media, allowing people from all over the world to witness and share in the joy experienced by those physically present.
This week of celebration was centred around Monday 3rd April, which would have been Anne Lister’s 232nd birthday. An appropriate moment indeed for such an array of activities, which has set us further down the path to a better understanding and appreciation of Anne Lister and her life; and of course Gentleman Jack, which for most us was the point at which we all fell down that damn rabbit hole.
Birthday celebrations mean a lot to so many people. We of course celebrate our own birthday and share in the joy with family and friends of many others every single year. Our yearly celebration of Anne Lister with the laying of flowers at her statue (a very moving affair) on her birthday means that the worldwide Ann(e)dom have now collectively and consciously (or maybe even unconsciously) added the 3rd April to their diaries, a date and a marker like many others in our lives, where we take an opportunity to honour a life well lived.
Since ALBW, the twittersphere where I spend most of my social media time has been awash with funny memes, kind words and emojis praising the success of ALBW. It has given us all in the Save Gentleman Jack team the ‘jolt’ and momentum we needed going in to the Spring. We have ‘redoubled our efforts’ in re-establishing some amazing twitter trends, setting exciting weekend events and daily activities; and through all of it, the Ann(e)dom have come with us, providing vital encouragement and support as we continue in our efforts to #SaveGentlemanJack.
My Tweet by Tweet talk at ALBW on the 3rd April opened with a slide marking birthday wishes for Anne Lister. I proceeded with my talk with all the courage I could muster, but not before taking a moment like on all ‘birth’ days to relish in the glory that is Anne Lister and Gentleman Jack, and what joy this riotous woman and show has given us all.
Having witnessed the laying of flowers at the Anne Lister statue just hours before, I further contemplated what I, and all of us would be willing to do to #SaveGentlemanJack. It’s little by little.. tweet by tweet. Gentleman Jack may be in our hearts forever, but its renewal and series completion would indeed be the best birthday present ever...surely.
Jo Clarke, Campaign Reporter
April 21st 2023
Halifax - Our happy smiley place
Well well well.. What a ride for the Ann(e)dom
A birthday comes but once a year..
It’s been a week now since the hometown of Anne Lister took me into its bosom once more. Halifax is a place I had never visited before, but since watching Gentleman Jack, I have ‘paid a call’ on Halifax twice in just over a year.
My visit this past week to Halifax was a brief 36 hour stopover, that in Anne Lister’s time probably would not have been enough to even rest the horses from a 192 mile jaunt up from London - but hey ho. With my travelling writing desk (laptop), pen, paper and ink, and a few overnight things secured in a bag, I set off early doors last Sunday to Halifax. My journey by car was uneventful with no stops for rest or water. Like Anne Lister on a normal day, I was on a mission, with a list of people to see, and an agenda of actions and activities to accomplish.
I was in Halifax to attend the ALBW celebrations for the first time, but more importantly to represent the #SaveGentlemanJack campaign and its many supporters. The #SGJ campaign had graciously been invited ‘a while since’ by ALBW to present a workshop, providing an update on the campaign’s achievements, its future goals, and to provide insight into the campaign’s use of social media and networking.
On arrival, my first port of call was The Piece Hall, an extraordinary structure in size and scope. My heart was filled as I entered through its doors as I knew Anne Lister was waiting for me. The statue of Anne Lister, a small delicate figure set against the backdrop of the colossal structural boundaries of the Hall is an awesome sight, and still takes my breath away.
Of course Halifax holds a very special place in every Gentleman Jack fan’s heart. Whether you have visited in person or have meandered along its streets in day dreams formed from the optical and glorious visual memories of watching endless reruns of Gentleman Jack - Halifax is now our happy smiley place that connects us all.
After attending a workshop on media and representation hosted by Laurie Shannon and Pat Esgate alongside Fiona Thompson and Dr Beth Johnson, I made my way back to my hotel knowing that a long night lay ahead. The SGJ team had worked so hard for weeks on an amazing slideshow that went with the workshop presentation. Now I needed to up my game and come up with just the right words.
Working late into the night and early morning writing pages and pages of hand written notes, my desk lit by only a single light bulb; I had never felt so connected to Anne Lister than I did that night.
After a good sleep (my snoring didn’t keep me awake), I awoke excited and energised for what the day would bring. Over a hearty breakfast, I pondered a while over my very good fortune of having met and was now working with such amazing people on the SGJ campaign and beyond that had somehow brought me back to my happy smiley place.
A fresh April day greeted me on my exit from the hotel - a bright blue and cloudless sky accompanied my walk back to The Piece Hall, where I without nerves or biliousness walked into the Caygill room at 1 1/2 pm, hand written notes and my ‘travelling writing case’ in hand ready to #SaveGentlemanJack.
It was a ver. fine day.
Jo Clarke, Campaign Reporter
April 9th 2023
A picture is worth a thousand words..
Well well well.. What a ride for the Ann(e)dom
Well well well.. What a ride for the Ann(e)dom
The Gentleman Jack effect continues unabated with the U.K.’s National Archive and ‘guardians of over 1000 years of iconic national documents’ announcing a new portrait illustration display to mark 50 years since the country’s first Pride march.
Anne Lister is noted among five portrait illustrations (all by artist Sarah Tanat Jones), who are described by The National Archives as British LGBTQ+ icons.
The other four are:
Freddie Mercury (1946-1991)
Ken Johnson (1914-1941)
James Barry (1789-1865)
Sir Ian McKellen (1939 - )
What an amazing honour for Anne Lister to be included in such an exhibition - and counted amongst these extraordinary, vibrant and influential people. Her inclusion is yet another clear marker of the Gentleman Jack effect. It’s an incredible turnaround for a woman whose life (until very recently) was relatively unknown, and whose personal history had fallen back into the shadows of time. The Anne Lister diaries of course were the catalyst for years and years of energetic and devoted research by Helena Whitbread, Jill Liddington and others, but as we can all acknowledge, it was Sally Wainwright and the TV show Gentleman Jack that lit the fuse for a worldwide outpouring of admiration and reverence, not only for the words that Anne Lister wrote, but the character and personality that she embodied.
It seems so appropriate then that The National Archives celebrate Anne Lister in this way, as it was indeed a discerning and helpful archivist in Halifax who spoke those now immortal words to Helena Whitbread all those years ago when she first visited the archives ‘.. did you know she kept a diary?’ Seven words that changed literally everything.
Anne Lister’s celebrity continues to grow, and if the old adage is anything to go by - that a picture is indeed worth a thousand words’; surely then in the case of Anne Lister’s image it’s worth five million words, plus the seven little words that got the diaries out of the archives and ultimately through fate, circumstance and a few exceptional turns into the loving bosom of the Ann(e)dom and the world.
The Pride Portraits’ Project will run at The National Archives, Kew from 1st July - 5th September 2023.
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/visit-us/whats-on/exhibitions/pride-portraits/?
Jo Clarke, Campaign Reporter
March 12th 2023
Well well well.. What a ride for the Ann(e)dom
Well well well.. What a ride for the Ann(e)dom
Well well well.. What a ride for the Ann(e)dom
Something rather magnificent happened on Thursday this past week for the Ann(e)dom and the #SaveGentlemanJack campaign. I was honoured to be asked by @RTSYorkshire1 to take part in a Q&A panel at the Gentleman Jack Changes Lives symposium at @YorkStJohn University, York.
Armed with just my enthusiasm and a few handwritten notes I boarded a midday train at London’s Kings Cross station bound for York. No horses or carriage were necessary thank goodness.
During my two hour journey I continued to scribble notes (I had had a late night discussion with Kellie our fabulous Lead just the night before), the smell of the sharpie marker pen I was using wafted along the carriage aisle, which mixed remarkably well with the aroma coming from the toasted cheese and ham sandwich that was being eaten by the passenger next to me.
My journey though unremarkable, was notable for a clear lack of ‘exploding’ cows on route - I saw none. Though the sharpie smell must have done its work in masking any trace of tripe in the air. My jaunt was also marked out physically by the broadest of smiles which came across my face every so often at the thought of my good fortune.
Arriving on time at York station I made the short 20 minute walk towards York St John University, which allowed me to take in the imposing and awe inspiring York Cathedral. It was during this time that I reflected upon the past eight months and my involvement in the wonderful #SaveGentlemanJack campaign. I recognised the huge responsibility that I had to everyone around the world who cared so deeply about Gentleman Jack and it’s renewal.
Walking into the York St John’s De Grey building where the Diane Willcocks lecture theatre was, I was struck by the lovely Gentleman Jack Changes Lives standee banner which stood outside the door. It was at this point that I knew there was no going back. With the knowledge that everyone on the #SGJ team and the worldwide Ann(e)dom was holding my hand and giving it a moral boosting and comforting squeeze, I opened the door and strode (like Anne Lister) in. The rest they say is history. History made for the campaign and indeed for us all. Another step towards fulfilling our destiny. We will #SaveGentlemanJack
Jo Clarke, Campaign Reporter
February 25th 2023
A note from the #SaveGentlemanJack campaign team
Our thanks go to RTS Yorkshire and York St John University and more specifically to Dr Fiona Thompson @FionaThompson16 and Dr Keith McDonald @keithmcdonald14 for this fabulous opportunity.
It was also an honour to share the stage with Helen Hawkins @helen_hawkins Barbara Govan @screenhouseprod Yvonne, Sam (and of course her mum Hazel)
The Ice-woman Cometh
COMMUNITY, CAMARADERIE, AND COMMITMENT: THE YEAR THAT WAS 2022
COMMUNITY, CAMARADERIE, AND COMMITMENT: THE YEAR THAT WAS 2022
Another moment to cherish for the Ann(e)dom happened this past Saturday in York. An ice sculpture was made of Anne Lister as part of the York Ice Trail - a Journey Through Time. The sculpture was appropriately placed at the top of Goodramgate, not far from the Holy Trinity church and the York Civic Trust blue plaque which memorialises the sacrament between Anne Lister and Ann Walker during Easter of 1834.
As the @AnneListerSoc said in a tweet to mark the sculpture’s arrival - with this and so many other commemorations, Anne Lister has ‘taken her due place as a landmark in our common culture’, and celebrated for the extraordinary polymath she was and and icon that she has become.
In many ways, after all the many permanent memorials that have been given in honour of Anne Lister over the past 4 years, an ice sculpture seems totally appropriate. Ice can appear as fully transparent, or depending on impurities, opaque in nature - blurred and impenetrable. In essence ice in its many forms matches the many facets of Anne Lister’s intricate persona, which permeates throughout her diary. Her very thoughts and feelings, the true meaning of words spoken and unspoken, hidden in plain sight in crypt or plain hand. Literal facts and authentic sentiment combine, that obscure nothing but the simplicity and truth of human existence. Importantly the ice sculpture of Anne Lister can be seen clutching her world famous diary - a document as important to Anne herself as it is now to millions across the globe.
With the sculpture surely now melting and giving way to its original liquid form, this ice cast could also be seen as a visual allegory of the journey that Gentleman Jack had taken over the past eight months. An elegant and beautifully formed structure of a television show which melted away to nothing, a puddle of water a simple reminder of what had been.
But the Ann(dom) can take comfort in the knowledge that like the passing of the seasons, the frost will return - and water will change to ice once more. The ice-woman will surely come again as will Gentleman Jack.
Jo Clarke, Campaign Reporter
February 5th 2023
COMMUNITY, CAMARADERIE, AND COMMITMENT: THE YEAR THAT WAS 2022
COMMUNITY, CAMARADERIE, AND COMMITMENT: THE YEAR THAT WAS 2022
COMMUNITY, CAMARADERIE, AND COMMITMENT: THE YEAR THAT WAS 2022
Well, it all started with a dance for me. Seeing a large group of people from all over the world come together at Shibden Hall on the 7th of August in a flash of energy, dynamism and the odd top hat told me everything I needed to know about Gentleman Jack and its legion of fans. I knew then that the starting gun had been fired, and a television show that had literally changed lives was simply not going to disappear quickly and quietly into the night. The flash dance mob organised so brilliantly by Helen Hawkins was, like Helen of Troy, but instead of a face that launched a thousand ships, it was a dance practiced in hallways, bedrooms and (probably) bathrooms around the world that started a tsunami of enthusiasm and camaraderie, where as a fanbase community we briefly commiserated with each other, but found very quickly our voices to celebrate what had been and what will surely be again - the return of Gentleman Jack.
In the 6 months since HBO confirmed that its collaboration with the BBC would be ending, a head of steam has slowly been building, powered by a cacophony of noise made by fans around the world through the power of social media platforms. Media publications also, led by the Guardian newspaper and DIVA magazine (especially its editor Roxy Bourdillon,) have shared in the disbelief with other global publications that Gentleman Jack had been ‘cancelled’.
Now, of course TV shows get cancelled all the time, it’s in the nature of the beast, and I noted this in a recent interview with Lady Parts TV that in many ways we should be grateful for the two seasons that have been made about Anne Lister; indeed, we should be grateful that Gentleman Jack was made at all. Because what a glorious impact it has had. The ‘Gentleman Jack effect’ has led to statues being unveiled, including a brand new monument at Shibden Hall in September 2022, which was undertaken by an all female group of stonemasons. Stories, articles and theses continue to be written, epitomised by the continual work of the Anne Lister Society who will have its second annual meeting during ALBW in March 2023. Civic societies in York and Halifax have thrown their weight behind efforts to renew Gentleman Jack, because they value the historical importance of Anne Lister the person, as well as the relevance of her extraordinary diaries.
In amongst all of this official clamour, there lay beneath the surface a constant barrage of social media trending inspired by fan organised events in cookery, drawing, games, episode streaming and gardening to name but a few. For many of us, Gentleman Jack is never far from our thoughts as we take part in daily challenges using inspirational Gentleman Jack themed hashtags. The most important being #GJThirstyThursday which continues to inspire winks, nudges and pure joviality amongst the Ann(e)dom. The use of TikTok videos, music, memes and the ingenious use of play on words in this endeavour to trend are a joy to behold. Nothing is off limits when it comes to saving Gentleman Jack - even moustaches get a (frequent) look in.
COMMUNITY, CAMARADERIE, AND COMMITMENT: THE YEAR THAT WAS 2022
Gentleman Jack - an immense drama made up of tiny exquisite details
Fan art has always played an important role in developing a sense of community amongst fans, but artwork produced after Gentleman Jack’s cancellation has added poignancy; but in turn has been used to great effect to bolster trending and bring a smile to everyone who cares about Gentleman Jack. The inspirational artwork of Kylie Conning has probably provided the #SaveGentlemanJack effort with one of its most amazing moments. In September, the Nasdaq billboard display in Times Square was emblazoned with Kylie’s wonderful art, which formed part of two separate sequences that were presented to the world over a 24 hour period. It caught the attention of so many, including Holland Taylor (the mind boggles) and allowed Sally Wainwright an opportunity recently to divulge that ‘we have every reason to hope’. The Times Square display presented clear evidence of a serious, committed, well developed and organised campaign. The Times Square event has since been mentioned by Suranne Jones and Sally
Wainwright in recent interviews. As the year drew to a close, Gentleman Jack began to appear, as expected on numerous ‘best of’ 2022 TV lists, including the New York Times. Gentleman Jack was also named recently in the BBC’s top 100 shows...ever. Awards have also been forthcoming for Suranne Jones and members of the production team. Never out of the news for long, an episode of Mastermind had an Anne Lister expert get to the semifinals recently, and had fans wishing they too had got all 12 questions right while sitting in that famous black leather chair. The song ‘The Ballad of Anne and Ann’ released in December by O’Hooley and Tidow + Suranne Jones had fans in tears and the BBC radio airwaves a-buzzing with beautiful verse and stunning vocal tones - a love letter in many ways to Gentleman Jack and its fans after what has been a traumatic 6 months. What with Helena Whitbread, (surely the godmother of all things Anne Lister) being awarded in recent days an MBE for services to history and literature in the King’s New Year Honours list, and a major book ‘Learned by Heart’ by Oscar nominated writer and best selling author Emma Donaghue to be published in August 2023 about Anne Lister’s love affair with Eliza Raine; the magical hits keep coming for the Ann(e)dom, and the noise that Sally Wainwright asked us all to make back in July is getting louder and louder. We have always known that Gentleman Jack was a special show, but we have been blessed throughout 2022 with a extraordinary array of standout moments - it’s as if Gentleman Jack had not been cancelled at all. Anne Lister was released onto the world back in 2019 and there is simply no going back. With an exhausting yet exhilarating 6 months behind us, everyone on the #SaveGentlemanJack team is delighted with the progress made, and the joy that such an effort has brought to the Gentleman Jack fandom. The #SaveGentlemanJack campaign has brought so many talented hard working people together, with such efforts allowing everyone impacted by the show to remember with fondness the wonder that are the first two seasons and to truly believe in its return. Going into 2023, the Ann(e)dom’s motto will surely be to ‘keep our dignity, keep our nerve and keep busy’. We have all these things in abundance. We will Save Gentleman Jack.
Jo Clarke, Campaign Reporter
January 1st, 2023
Gentleman Jack - an immense drama made up of tiny exquisite details
Gentleman Jack - an immense drama made up of tiny exquisite details
Gentleman Jack - an immense drama made up of tiny exquisite details
Well well well Ann(e)dom - the hair roll ‘croquets’ have finally got their own award!!
The Save Gentleman Jack social media team join the Ann(e)dom in congratulating Lin Davie, Sue Newbould and Laura Flynn in receiving the award in Best Make Up Design - Drama, at the Royal Television Society Craft and Design Awards, for series two of Gentleman Jack. Judged to have been ‘spot on every time, never over the top – beautiful, without being over styled or theatrical’, we share in their joy and celebrate with them their achievement.
We also send good wishes and felicitations to Tom Pye and his team for their RTS Craft and Design nomination in Costume Design. The Ann(e)dom is forever grateful to Tom Pye and his costumes. We all know that our lives would be whole lot duller without the legendary Anne Lister waistcoats and cravats!
Established in 1927, The Royal Television Society is the oldest television society in the world, and is world renowned for its dedication to, and promotion of the arts and science of television. Fans of Gentleman Jack will know all too well that without the small exquisite details found in its layered and rich production, Gentleman Jack wouldn’t be the tremendous television drama series that it is. From the outset it was clear that all those involved in bringing the story of Anne Lister to the screen were devoted and guided by these principles.
As Vincent Van Gogh once said ‘Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.’ That surely describes Gentleman Jack, and indeed our own campaign to save it, to a tee.
Jo Clarke Campaign Reporter
December 8th 2022
A smile and a knowing giggle from Suranne, and it’s on we all go
Gentleman Jack - an immense drama made up of tiny exquisite details
A smile and a knowing giggle from Suranne, and it’s on we all go
The Save Gentleman Jack social media team join the Ann(e)dom in congratulating Suranne Jones on receiving the @italktelly award for the Best Dramatic Performance for her role as Anne Lister in series two of Gentleman Jack.
As always Suranne was quick off the mark to share her delight with the world. The echo which punctuated her voice as she took herself to the nearest bathroom to record her message, could not mask her utter delight at receiving the award, and getting a chance to once again talk about Gentleman Jack.
Everyone in the Ann(e)dom shares in her joy and devotion to the show. The words ‘.. there’s a lot of love for the show..’ will surely be our end of year #SGJ rallying call as we all continue our efforts into 2023 to #SaveGentlemanJack.
Suranne’s knowing giggle that went hand in hand with these words says it all, and is all the Ann(e)dom have ever needed to have #EveryReasonToHope, to keep our nerve and keep busy.
Jo Clarke Campaign Reporter
December 4th 2022
News
MESSAGE FROM PAT ESGATE
It’s not the winning but being on the start line that matters
It’s not the winning but being on the start line that matters
As we know, HBO declined to pick up Season Three of Gentleman Jack, a vast and ongoing disappointment to all of us. BUT! GJ has not merely slipped out the door and into distant memory. There is a lot going on behind the scenes, and as Sally Wainwright told us in her most recent communication: in the words of Ann Walker, we have every reason to hope.
(I personally am hoping that part of our kickoff celebration on Thursday, March 30 will be a large round of applause for great news on the show!)
In the meantime, the fearless #SaveGentlemanJack social media team, led by Kellie Griner, continues its incredible work. And for those of you who are wondering if this makes a difference, let me assure you it does. I am not at liberty to disclose my conversations but let me just say that the right people are seeing the effort, and that effort is definitely proving that there is passion, and most important to whom entertainment is a business, an audience for this incredible story.
Check out #SaveGentlemanJack at https://bringbackgentlemanjack.com/ But MOST IMPORTANT: GET INVOLVED! Tweet, retweet, Insta, Tik Tok, whatever they’re doing, give them a hand!
I’m telling you, straight up: it is making a difference! Get onboard so we can celebrate the heck out of this in Halifax!
Pat Esgate
December 4th 2022
It’s not the winning but being on the start line that matters
It’s not the winning but being on the start line that matters
It’s not the winning but being on the start line that matters
The Save Gentleman Jack social media team join the Ann(e)dom in congratulating sculptor Diane Lawrenson for her second place finish in the 2022 public vote for the Public Statues and Sculpture Association Marsh Award for Public Sculpture.
The Anne Lister - Contemplation statue, located in The Piece Hall, Halifax was unveiled by Suranne Jones and Sally Wainwright in back September 2021 marking an historic moment for the town.
According to the PSSA only 147 public statues of women exist in the whole of the U.K. Contemplation is an extraordinary work which beautifully captures in bronze the essence of Anne Lister and her achievements as a local landowner and hugely influential and now world renowned diarist.
Lister’s recent entry in this small but growing list of public statues is testament essentially to the power of Sally Wainwright’s TV series Gentleman Jack, which literally bought the story of Anne Lister in from the cold and into the warm bosom of the world.
Here the Anne Lister statue sits in a quiet corner of the Piece Hall in a pensive and reflective state. It’s subtle realistic features reflect a woman whose life, although relatively short was honest, truthful and ultimately well lived.
Jo Clarke Campaign Reporter
December 1st 2022
The campaign that never stands still.. just like Anne Lister
It’s not the winning but being on the start line that matters
The campaign that never stands still.. just like Anne Lister
Since July 7th when it was announced that HBO would be pulling its funding for Gentleman Jack, social media platforms have been inundated with shocked and heartbroken fans venting their (continued) frustration at the decision. Indeed I was one of them, who took to twitter for the first time back in July, and joined countless others in what could only be described as a global online bear hug.
Nevertheless this intense and effortless sharing of fandom memories and commiserations has given way to a movement - a revolution if you will, where fans have not only stood up; many have decided to stand out and make some serious noise. From this cacophony and clamour the #SaveGentlemanJack campaign was born.
Using social media as our launchpad and our website as its nerve center, the #SaveGentlemanJack campaign has seen significant successes in recent months with a growing number of media supporters, daily trending of its hashtags, and the launch of a TikTok account. We were even audacious enough to use the sparkling lights of Time Square in New York City as a backdrop to our compelling media billboards.
The SGJ campaign has also in its wake created a flourishing online community, not only made up of new and existing fans of the show, but of a group of individuals drawn together specifically to saving Gentleman Jack.
The extraordinary array of activities and events that go on during the weekends alone, is testament to the inventiveness of our community. It could just be me, but to combine dressing up, the cooking and eating of food, and the consumption of wine with saving a TV show is pure genius. (Nope - I don’t think it’s just me!)
In recent weeks the Save Gentleman Jack team have made significant steps in broadening the campaign’s horizons (like Anne Lister looking beyond the borders of Halifax) in the hope of reaching a wider audience.
We have made contact with various pod and vlog casters requesting interviews and have taken part in live and recorded interviews.
The #SaveGentlemanJack campaign is agile, nimble and accelerating. So fast paced are our efforts that we may even get somewhere in 25 minutes. However I’ll take getting anywhere in 60 minutes if it means saving Gentleman Jack.
Jo Clarke Campaign reporter
November 27th 2022
ODE TO ARGUS
~ AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GENTLEMAN JACK FANDOM ~
The campaign that never stands still.. just like Anne Lister
Dedicated fans will already know the drill, but what makes good TV? A successful TV show is driven by many things - a comprehensive narrative, interesting well rounded characters and dialogue that speaks to truth, and which is realistic and appropriate in tone. Then of course there are each of the character’s actions that then speak louder than the very words they utter.
The very best of TV drama provides an audience with a plethora of heroes, champions and allies to invest and devote time and emotional energy to. The scoundrels and sinners of any piece also play their part in arousing feelings and sensitivities to misbehaviours, while gleefully and deliberately corrupting our subconscious with the unscrupulous ways of humanity. The time and place in which a story is set, also looms large over any narrative structure, it’s supporting players and tertiary characters help join the dots to form a visual collective of light colour and drama.
Gentleman Jack to it’s millions of fans has the above in spades, its glorious storytelling has reached across the world with its inspirational characters and their unique stories.
Not only do we have Anne Lister stomping very fast around Yorkshire interacting with friends and foe alike, but with her compelling family too. The historic Shibden Hall with its beautiful house body, kitchen and living quarters has become a character in its own right.
Within the confines of this particular setting, a large furry family pet, inconspicuous and modest to the casual viewer lay quietly and usually partly concealed; sometimes by low lying furnishings, or cloaked in the yard by beams of sunshine, or the gloom of its many shadows. The embers of an evening hearth at Shibden offered a welcoming sight to the watching audience as it enveloped a sleeping hound in a warm flickering glow. Everyone in the Ann(e)dom knows his name. He is Argus, the Lister family’s deerhound. To his mum though at home, his name was Rhodry.
Every so often, (you could even say) once in a furry grey moon, a tertiary character like Argus is lifted from narrative obscurity and placed front and centre in amongst the regular intense, sometimes whispered conversations of TV fandoms; taking place in real life spaces and more importantly within the influential realms of social media.
In the years since Gentlemen Jack has hit our screens countless images, memes, and videos have been made in this beloved deerhound’s honour. Even drinking games have probably been organised, so that Madeira could be sipped in time to the very mention of his name.
The recent passing of Rhodry (Argus) the deerhound has saddened Gentlemen Jack fans around the world, not just because of the affectionate and unique place he holds as a non speaking character with so many associated and enduringly quotable lines; but because he was a constant in a show so abundantly blessed with stand out moments, which we as a community continue to look back on with such affection. For Gentleman Jack fans, Argus will forever be in the way and we will miss him.
Rhodry
27th November 2014 - 2nd November 2022
Jo Clarke
~ AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GENTLEMAN JACK FANDOM ~
~ AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GENTLEMAN JACK FANDOM ~
~ AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GENTLEMAN JACK FANDOM ~
Tonight, I met with the #SGJ lead staff and strategists to determine a course of action for the campaign. It is our decision to remain on Twitter as long as it exists.
We have looked at alternatives. Mastodon has an open source model, but is extremely limited in scope and subject to arbitrary rules set forth by server owners. Counter Social is being touted as a possible Twitter replacement, however it’s heavily focused on political content and has a small user base. Tribel, the closest in “feel” to a Twitter experience, is one to watch, but does not have anything close to Twitter’s capabilities.
Change in leadership at any company is almost never seamless, and Twitter has certainly been no exception. Distaste for Mr. Musk and his political views or business practice is understandable, however, he is just one of many rich and powerful men who run social media companies.
Social media is plagued by a myriad of ills. But Twitter, unlike any other platform, affords users the opportunity to be seen on a world-wide stage. And that’s a whole lot of good for a campaign like ours.
In describing his vision for Twitter, Elon Musk uses the phrase “vox populi, vox dei” meaning the voice of the people is the voice of god. If Twitter is a place for everyone’s voice, then ours is as valid as anyone else’s. We matter. Our lives and stories matter. Through your activity on Twitter these past months, we have attracted attention from all corners of the web. Anne Lister would be proud.
Let me be clear, at this point in time there is no saving Gentleman Jack without Twitter.
So please, stand with us as we continue to plant our flag in the ground on this platform. We will make a difference.
Faith is all! Kellie and the #SGJ Team
TIS THE SEASON..
~ AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GENTLEMAN JACK FANDOM ~
~ AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GENTLEMAN JACK FANDOM ~
Homelessness has been a scourge on civilisation since time immemorial. The reasons behind the condition are often complex, and almost always involve the most vulnerable and marginalised of society. Coupled with the devastating cost of living crisis that is currently impacting all parts of the world at the moment, we must remember that homelessness can also happen to anyone at any time; and be particularly mindful of the brunt that this crisis will have on people everywhere, particularly during the winter months.
On 10th December 1948 the UN in its Universal Declaration of Human Rights stated that ‘Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of themselves and their family, including food, clothing, housing medical care and necessary social services…’ The above statement has been the mantra by which all homeless charities are built and aspire.
The countless charities worldwide that support the homeless community continue to change, galvanize and most importantly save lives. The SGJ team have been truly humbled by the generosity of the Ann(e)dom over the past four months, and we want to be able to give everyone the opportunity to support some vital causes that are close to our hearts.
The SGJ team are therefore delighted to announce our support of the following charities this festive season.
The mission of the Ali Forney Center is to protect homeless Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning youths from the harms of homelessness and empower them with the tools needed to be independent.
Akt supports lgbtq+ young people aged 16-25 in the UK who are facing or experiencing homelessness or living in a hostile environment.
Thank you everyone.
The #SGJ team
Jo Clarke Campaign Reporter
5th November 2022
‘You have every reason to hope..’
The Guardian’s top BBC shows from the past 100 years
‘You have every reason to hope..’
These six inconspicuous words noted at the end of a short Facebook message from Pat Esgate has sent shock waves around the Ann(e)dom today. The day began in its usual fashion. You know the one, where a Gentleman Jack hashtag is trending overnight on Twitter. So far…so normal right? Pat’s message on Facebook was two fold. Firstly we get a note of thanks from our wondrous leader Sally Wainwright, indicating how much she ‘massively appreciates what’s being done’ with the Save Gentleman Jack campaign, and that she continues to be blown away by the fans passion, energy and commitment to Anne Lister and Gentleman Jack. (Ok Ann(e)dom you can all take your jaws off the floor) Secondly, and this is where these six teeny weeny words come in. A very well positioned source …to quote Ann Walker suggests that we ‘have every reason to hope’. Ok mic drop. Goodbye dear Ann(e)dom! If anyone wants me I’ll be down the GJ rabbit hole, where I shall surely remain; that is of course until we #SaveGentlemanJack.
Jo Clarke Campaign Reporter
October 21st 2022
I’m not crying.. you’re crying
The Guardian’s top BBC shows from the past 100 years
‘You have every reason to hope..’
Sunday October 16th marked the end of several months of online dedication, when the ‘Stream Sunday’ fan event organised by the social media team completed season one of Gentleman Jack, with a rerun of its final episode. One of the best pieces of television ever (we can all agree), with so much angst and joy packed into just 60 minutes; episode eight throws in not one but two dizzying climaxes for its audience to enjoy. The power of the performances and writing never seems to lessen on reruns. Indeed on each rewatch, we are simply reminded of the moment we all saw this episode for the first time, when we actually realised in real time what we were watching; our mouths open and aghast, tears filling our eyes. Reading through the twitter feed from the episode stream on Sunday was a joy to behold, I could feel the energy of every single person watching - from their reactions to the ballroom strutting, to the fandom’s spontaneous applause when Ann Walker said ‘I’ll do it..’ At around 10.50 BST on Sunday, when I re-lived (through the power of twitter) the ‘hill top’, the exchange of rings, the sacrament and the post marriage squabble, I was reminded why I am here to #SaveGentlemanJack. I know I am not alone.
Jo Clarke Campaign Reporter
October 18th, 2022
The Guardian’s top BBC shows from the past 100 years
The Guardian’s top BBC shows from the past 100 years
Gentleman Jack NYC Times Square billboard gains momentum for the SGJ campaign
It cannot be underestimated how impressive the inclusion of Gentleman Jack in The Guardian’s top BBC shows from the past 100 years is. It’s genuinely extraordinary to think that the BBC is celebrating its centenary in 2022. Think about that..100 years, making the BBC the oldest national broadcaster in the world. It’s creative output over that time has been absolutely colossal. It’s broad spectrum of programming covers television and film of all genres, radio, music (including orchestras) and now an extensive social media presence. These are just some of the aesthetic areas that the BBC has had a major influence in, both socially and culturally in Britain and around the world.
For Gentleman Jack, a relatively recent television production (and so far only two seasons) to be included in the shows that have been ‘loved’ the most by viewers is testament to its immediate and extraordinary influence on the TV landscape in just the past three years. The Gentleman Jack Effect has been a constant in recent years, marked out by independent and impactful cultural events. It’s influence as a TV show on the British public, when millions of viewers tuned in to watch the show every Sunday night is set for life, and will surely be remembered and included in the BBC list commemorating the next 100 years.
Jo Clarke Campaign Reporter
October 12th, 2022
Gentleman Jack NYC Times Square billboard gains momentum for the SGJ campaign
The launch of the new Save Gentleman Jack Campaign Website begins to get traction in U.K. media
Gentleman Jack NYC Times Square billboard gains momentum for the SGJ campaign
The Save Gentleman Jack campaign has hit new heights over recent weeks. We are delighted to confirm that the stunning display of two billboards on Times Square on September 22nd, and the subsequent press release written to highlight its extraordinary success, appears (at last) to be making a splash in the US.
Our visual exploits have been picked up in the media by Movie Marker, QNews, EIN Presswire, WSCA News, Vents Magazine, Around World Journal, Education News and Books by Isabella, NY. Also to the delight (and hysterical laughter in some quarters) of everyone on the SGJ team, the billboards even caught the eye of Holland Taylor. Even weeks later, everyone in the Ann(e)dom are still desperately trying to pick their jaws up off the floor. Holland Taylor loves Gentleman Jack - the mind literally boggles.
To keep up the momentum, the social media team decided to make contact with all our celebrity, institutional and media supporters, who have a total of over 27,000000 twitter followers (I know because I counted 
). With the help of #SaveGJNews, the social media team and the wider Ann(e)dom, we all hit the twitter waves on the 27th September- and what a response we got! We got many likes and retweets not only from our existing supporter base, but gained new campaign admirers as well.
To top it all off - on September 28th DIVA magazine wrote yet another article about the Save Gentleman Jack campaign, this time raising awareness of the Times Square billboard display, and providing its readers with an updated report on Gentleman Jack’s cancellation and the worldwide efforts to save it.
https://diva-magazine.com/.../save-gentleman-jack-billboard/
Everyone on the SGJ team would like up thank DIVA magazine for continual support, and for being so proactive, with their continual tweeting, and likes and the publication of numerous articles, including an open letter in the September issue by editor Roxy Bourdillon.
Jo Clarke Campaign Reporter
October 1st 2022
Well the stats are in...
The launch of the new Save Gentleman Jack Campaign Website begins to get traction in U.K. media
The launch of the new Save Gentleman Jack Campaign Website begins to get traction in U.K. media
Today the Gentleman Jack website celebrates its first week ‘live’, and we are delighted with the amazing response so far from our media supporters and the Ann(e)dom.
We tracked over 651 visits to our site on the first day of the website’s existence, and can confirm, that in just a week, there have been 6838 visits. Our comprehensive U.K. and U.S. press release announcing the launch of a Gentleman Jack website (sent out a week ago) clearly stated its main aim, which was to harness the dedicated and passionate fan base and ‘actively engage all corners of the Ann(e)dom’. These amazing statistics show that our efforts have been worth it, and will only serve to bolster our campaign to #SaveGentlemanJack in the weeks and months to come.
Jo Clarke Campaign Reporter
September 12th, 2022
The launch of the new Save Gentleman Jack Campaign Website begins to get traction in U.K. media
The launch of the new Save Gentleman Jack Campaign Website begins to get traction in U.K. media
The launch of the new Save Gentleman Jack Campaign Website begins to get traction in U.K. media
The launch on Monday of the Save Gentleman Jack website was a pivotal moment for the campaign to #SaveGentlemanJack Announced simultaneously via a comprehensive U.K. and US press release, and on social media platforms by dedicated members of the Ann(e)dom, the website within days has permeated various news outlets; who have announced the news of our ever evolving campaign. We are grateful to the Halifax Courier and EIN News for their swift news coverage.
Today (Thursday) an article published in DIVA Magazine highlighting the work of an all female team of stonemasons currently working on an Anne Lister monument, was used in part to celebrate the continuing influence of Anne Lister on the LGBTQI community and women everywhere, but also on the cancellation of Gentleman Jack. It’s describes in the article the journey so far of the #SaveGentlemanJack campaign from the early ‘outpouring of love’ on social media to the extensive tagging of tweets with #SaveGentlemanJack and ‘.. a website launched..’
DIVA magazine has been a long standing supporter of Gentleman Jack, and has written extensively on the tv show’s enduring influence. It’s support from the beginning of the #SaveGentlemanJack campaign was further embedded by an open letter written by editor Roxy Bourdillon.
Here at Save Gentleman Jack we would like to thank DIVA magazine for their continued support of Gentleman Jack and our campaign to save it.
Jo Clarke Campaign Reporter
September 7th, 2022
After MILLIONS of votes, we have our Anglophile Channel 2022 Award Winners…
TAC’s #BritishArtistoftheYear is the generous and talented #SuranneJones, who has a lovely fanbase that absolutely dominated the votes! 
Congratulations to the winners! The Anglophile Channel will be reaching out to their representatives to arrange presentations of the awards.
Thank you to everyone who voted! 
The Anglophile Channel 2022 Awards
Everyone on the Gentleman Jack Campaign and the Ann(e)dom around the world rejoice at the announcement by the Anglophile Channel that Suranne Jones has won the 2022 TAC British Artist Of The Year Award. An accolade we all agree she thoroughly deserves. Thank you to everyone who took the time to vote via various social media platforms over the past couple of weeks - you can give your tweeting fingers a rest! (But not for long of course coz we have a TV show to save )
A big thank you must also go to the Anglophile Channel for organising this award and allowing the Ann(e)dom to show their appreciation for an absolute star in the nomination process and subsequent rounds. #SaveGentlemanJack
Editor Jo Clarke and the #SGJ Team
