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Heroic Nottingham suffragette Helen Watts is being honoured with her own Castle Rock beer - and historians reckon she'd have been thrilled by the prospect.

The 4.2 percent juniper-flavoured mild, which was made with the assistance of Nottingham Women's History Group, will be at the brewery's pubs across Nottinghamshire from April.

"We're sure Helen would have been thrilled that 'her' beer has been brewed, and that it contains juniper," says group member Miriam Jackson.

"It's not widely known, but Helen carried a sprig of juniper in her purse for over 50 years as a constant reminder of her past struggles and of the time in 1911 when she planted a juniper bush as a sign of hope in the now lost Suffragette Wood, near Bath.

"Nottingham remembered that moment by recreating her juniper legacy in the Arboretum. In 2016 our group, accompanied by 30 members of the Watts' family, planted a new juniper tree in her memory."

Castle Rock's Lewis Townsend has hopes the beer will promote pub conversation about women's rights, universal emancipation and how society has improved in the hundred years since the Representation of the People Act first granted some women the right to vote in 1918.

"It's a remarkable story," he says, "More people need to know about Helen. Her unrelenting commitment for equality in rights, alongside her fellow activists, should be remembered and admired by all who live here – and, of course, Nottinghamians should be particularly proud.

"I love how poignant the use of juniper is in this beer. We've never brewed with the berries before, and so we're really excited to taste how it comes out.

"This is a unique mild. It'll be subtly citrus, resinous, spicy and full of flavour."

Helen Watts lived in Lenton from 1881, the daughter of the vicar at Holy Trinity Church. Inspired by Christabel Pankhurst, she joined the Women's Social and Political Union in 1907 and, in 1909, she was arrested at Westminster, outside parliament.

She was charged with obstruction and sentenced to one month's imprisonment.

On release, she returned to direct action against Winston Churchill. This resulted in a term at Leicester Prison where she undertook a 90-hour hunger strike.

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The recipe for 'Helen Watts' was discussed at length by Castle Rock brewer Dan Gilliland and Helen Watts' great-great-nephew Joe Watts. Working as project manager for the Wiper and True Brewery, Joe lives in the West Country near to where his 'auntie Helen' retired.

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