Bronze Bust of Mayor Janet Emsley Unveiled at Rochdale Town Hall

Photo: Rochdale Council

A new bronze bust honouring Rochdale Mayor Councillor Janet Emsley has been officially unveiled at Rochdale Town Hall, celebrating both her long-standing service and the borough’s growing reputation for creative talent.

The sculpture was commissioned as part of Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture, with funding from Arts Council England. Its unveiling marks another milestone in the borough’s commitment to recognising female leadership and amplifying the work of local women in the arts.

Councillor Emsley unveiled the piece herself - a moment she described as surreal, emotional, and deeply humbling.

“I’m very proud to finally see it,” she said. “It’s quite a strange thing to come face to face with, a little emotional really. Rochdale’s progress in the creative fields over the last few years has been magnificent, so to see it culminate in this year as Greater Manchester Town of Culture has been incredible.”

The bust was created by Littleborough-based artist Kara Lyons, who works from Ebor Studio. Lyons, who has known Councillor Emsley for many years, said the commission carried personal significance.

“Janet taught all three of my children - we go back a long way - so there was added pressure on this one to get it right,” she said. “She has worked tirelessly to support the arts and I hope this is a fitting tribute during her year as mayor. We don’t celebrate female civic leadership enough, and I’d like to see women represented in public spaces as much as men. It’s important that young women see female role models.”

Councillor Emsley, a proud mother, grandmother and great‑grandmother, served as a teacher and director of performing arts at Wardle High School until her retirement in 2015. She has represented Littleborough Lakeside as a councillor since 2014 and became Mayor of Rochdale in 2025. She also served for many years on Arts Council England’s North Area Council.

The new sculpture follows the 2016 unveiling of the statue of Dame Gracie Fields - the first statue of a woman in Greater Manchester since Queen Victoria a century earlier. The addition of Councillor Emsley’s bust continues the borough’s efforts to redress the historic imbalance in public representation.

The bronze bust is now on permanent display at Rochdale Town Hall, where residents and visitors can view it as part of the building’s growing collection of local heritage and cultural works.