International Women’s Day – the women on our streets in Edinburgh
There is a campaign to raise £50,000 to erect a statue for Dr Elsie Inglis on the Royal Mile which has the backing of the council and the Rt Hon Lord Provost, Frank Ross and fundraising events are taking place all week.
This statue would ensure that the doctor and suffragette would never be forgotten. In 2014 Dr Inglis set up the Scottish Women’s Hospitals supporting French, Russian and Serbian troops. There is a monument in Mladenovac in her honour, noting that Dr Inglis remained in Serbia even when that country’s troops were on the retreat after Belgrade was razed to the ground, and in spite of being taken prisoner of war. She refused to leave Russian unless the British Government guaranteed safe passage for Serbian soldiers who had not been repatriated.
Thousands of people gathered on the Royal Mile for her funeral in 1917 which was held in the presence of royalty at St Giles Cathedral. Dr Inglis is buried in the Dean Cemetery.
There are already some statues of women in Edinburgh, but the balance is very much in favour of men who have done brave and good things. Construction is due to begin on the new Macmillan Square off Pennywell Road next month and this civic square is named after Maureen MacMillan, 1937-2002, a community activist who dedicated her life to improving the Muirhouse area particularly for young people and those unable to speak up for themselves.
Dr Helen Crummy
Dr Helen Crummy, MBE, was a founder of The Craigmillar Festival Society (CFS), and served as the Secretary for the group until 1985. Her statue was created by Tim Chalk and was unveiled by 21 March 2014 by Richard Demarco and Ruth Wishart and is located outside Craigmillar Library. Read more here.
Her Majesty Queen Victoria
This one needs no introduction, and is depicted in two statues – one at the Foot of the Walk and the second in a stone carving atop the Royal Academy.
Jackie Kay and Naomi Mitchison
The former Makar and the author are depicted in bronze heads installed in Edinburgh Park.
Other statues in Edinburgh which feature women include:
Lothian Road
The statue of the woman and child in Festival Square which shows a woman dressed in knee-length dress, headscarf and shoes with her right arm around a boy who cowers at here side, Behind then there are four corrugated metal sheets leaning against a thin vertical pole, and all are placed on a thin plain bronze base. The inscription reads “WOMAN and CHILD / Erected by The City of Edinburgh District Council. / To honour all those killed or imprisoned / for their stand against apartheid. / Unveiled 22 July 1986 by Suganya Chetty. / Sculpted by Ann Davidson. / ‘VICTORY IS CERTAIN’ /EDINBURGH / THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL.”
Suganya Chetty was a member of the ANC who lived in exile in Edinburgh.
Newington Cemetery
There is a statue in Newington Cemetery showing a woman holding a chain marking the grave of Peter Johnston, Coachbuilder, according to Canmore. Our reporter, John Knox, went to see it for himself. He describes it as “rather strange – a lady perhaps a Greek goddess? holding a chain severed by a hammer which lies at her feet, perhaps signifying that death breaks the bond of marriage? The gravestone says the statue was erected by Peter Johnston’s widow Helen. Peter Johnston died aged 53 in 1900 and his widow Helen died in 1929 aged 73”.
West Princes Street Gardens
Some time ago we discovered the statue in Princes Street Gardens which is called The Genius of Architecture Rewarding at Once the Science and the Practice of Art. This is by William Brodie (1815-81)
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St Colme Street
A monument, in the style of an Eleanor Cross was designed by David Bryce and sculpted by John Rhind. It was erected to the memory of author Catherine Sinclair on the southeast corner of St Colme Street in the New town close to where she lived.
And if you know of any others then we would be delighted to hear from you.
