Movers and Shapers the Harlow Makers

What’s on display?

The Movers and Shapers gallery celebrates the people who worked to improve the town, its residents, and the wider community. Many of these individuals dedicated a significant proportion of their working lives to ensure the growth of the town. We hope that by telling the stories, past and present, we will inspire those living in Harlow.

A drawing from the 'Mover and Shapers' collection in the Harlow Museum
Illustration of Lady Gibberd by Laura Bracey Curry

The Harlow Makers

The collection features a timeline of influential people who have lived and worked in Harlow since the 18th Century to the present day. Ranging from scientists, politicians, artists, athletes, inventors, and architects.

Our current Movers and Shapers include:

  • Sir Charles Kao – Inventor of fibre optics.
  • Dame Leah Manning – Labour MP, succeeded Winston Churchill.
  • Anna Wafula Strike MBE – Paralympian.
  • Sir Fredrick Gibberd – Harlow Town Master Planner.

Nominations welcome

Do you know any Harlowites who you think we should feature in our Movers and Shapers the Harlow Makers gallery? We love to hear from our visitors, so feel free to share your suggestions with a member of the team or email us at [email protected].

A photograph of a variety of yellow butterflies in a cabinet on display at the Harlow museum.
A sepia-toned old photograph of a Beekeeping Annual stand, a few people are sat down at the stand and a couple gather around it.
Harlow local, Herbert Mace at the London Beekeeping Annual
A black and white photograph of a woman sat at a table in a garden typing away on an old typewriter.
Leah Manning at her typewriter
A sepia-toned photograph of a light-haired woman holding a paper cut-out of a moor hen
Sally Anderson at work
A black and white photograph of building in Old Harlow with a crowd of children and an adult looking at the camera.
Sam Deards outside his shop in Old Harlow, early 1880s
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