To commemorate the centenary of 40% of British Women getting the vote Oswestry celebrated their Women Of Influence, Women of Power, by creating a ‘Wall of Women’ featuring 101 women with a connection to Oswestry.
Symbolically the 101 Women represent one for each year since 40% of Women won the right to vote, with an additional one to show that the fight for parity still goes on.
Each Woman was celebrated on an individual A1 Poster giving an insight into their lives, the 101 are made up of an eclectic mix of both historical and current Women but with one thing in common, they were all nominated to be included on the Oswestry Wall of Women.
Women like Guinevere, wife of King Arthur, born in Oswestry, – Sarah Fox, first woman to be buried in the new Oswestry Cemetery – Sandy Best, Oswestry’s Mayor for 2018 – Margaret Dovaston, famous war artist – Fanny Mostyn Owen the local love interest of Charles Darwin – Corrie Davies local community enablement officer – Violette Szabo who sadly lost her life during WWII – Dame Stephanie Shirley who arrived in Oswestry as part of Kinder Transport and following a local education went on to great things and many many more.
The interesting thing is that the Women come from all walks of life, all sections of the community and together they provide inspiration for future generations of young women by emphasising the diversity of opportunities that are available to them.
The Wall of Women was originally on display in Oswestry Memorial Hall from Thursday September 6th until Sunday September 16th 2018 inclusive and was officially opened on Thursday September 6th by Barbara Andrews, the Grand Daughter of the Suffragette Thirza Cove.
(SUFFRAGETTE Thirza Cove was a domestic servant who was treated like a common criminal and thrown into solitary confinement in Holloway prison for daring to protest over votes for women.)
Organised by Oswestry Town Museum the Wall of Women has proved an interesting project for all concerned with many unusual or interesting facts uncovered or sometimes volunteered by those who have been nominated.
Come along to the museum where the full ‘wall of Women’ is on permanent display to see how Women have always played an influential part in the history and heritage of Oswestry and are still doing so today, the difference being that in these ‘more enlightened’ times they receive more recognition for doing so.
Parking available at the rear of the Museum in the Horsemarket car park. Postcode: SY11 1JS
Please contact the museum directly for further details on disabled access.
