Barbour statue set to be unveiled on Women’s Day

A STATUE of Mary Barbour will be unveiled in Govan on International Women’s Day.

The Remember Mary Barbour Association (RMBA) has announced the date for the unveiling of the statue of Mary Barbour, a key figure in the 1915 Rent Strikes.

It comes after we previously reported that planning permission was being sought to erect the statue close to Govan Subway Station on Govan Road.

If plans are approved, the unveiling will take place on International Women’s Day, March 8 at 11am at Govan Cross.

Mary Barbour campaigned to improve housing and conditions for working people during the 1915 Rent Strikes. The 1915 Rent Strikes exposed and protested against landlords who took advantage of the war- time economy to hike up rents for workers, evicting those who could not pay. The city-wide rallies and demonstrations forced a change in the Government’s rent legislation.

A social pioneer, Mary was also elected as one of the first woman councillors for Glasgow in 1920, and appointed the first woman Bailie of the City of Glasgow in 1924.

Maria Fyfe, chairwoman of the RMBA, said: “We are absolutely thrilled that we have met our fundraising targets and that artist Andrew Brown has completed the commissioned work.

“The RMBA has been campaigning to raise funds for a statue of Mary Barbour to recognise her tremendous contribution to Govan, Glasgow and beyond. The date for its unveiling in Central Govan will be led by local children. We hope the legacy of the statue will re-connect the people of Govan with the tremendous social history and heritage and be a beacon of inspiration for women everywhere.”

Govan councillor John Kane added: “This will be a historic day for Govan in recognising Mary. It is important to recognise the overwhelming support we have had from the community as well as the incredible level of financial support given by those who made donations.”