We’re pleased to announce that the Mapping Memorials to Women Scotland project has received a message of support from First Minister Alex Salmond. The project, developed by Glasgow Women’s Library and Women’s History Scotland, aims to record memorials to women across Scotland at womenofscotland.org.uk.
First Minister Alex Salmond said:
“Throughout the centuries, Scots have paid tribute to the remarkable achievements of women in both small and grand ways. From plaques and cairns to statues and buildings, all commemorate the contribution that women have made to Scottish life, from the most humble to the most generous. It is a rich and fascinating story. This project is a very fitting one to be launched at the time of International Women’s Day and I would urge all those interested in the achievements of Scottish women both at home and abroad to help with some detective work and build the Women of Scotland website into a very useful database and resource we are all proud of.”
The site already contains over 75 records but the aim is to build on this base to create a comprehensive national database.
From Shetland to the Borders, the Western Isles to Fife, women have made a huge contribution to national life in all fields and many are commemorated in various ways in towns and cities and in small communities. A number are featured in The Biographical Dictionary of Scottish Women (Edinburgh University Press, 2005).
Examples found so far range from plaques and cairns to statues, streets, named buildings and stained glass windows. All commemorate the contribution that women have made to Scottish life. It is a rich and fascinating story.
Over the past year Girlguiding Scotland has helped to seek out memorials to add to the site, but now more help is needed. The website is relaunching on 10th March, and we are calling on people across Scotland to go out and find memorials in their local area, and record them on the Women of Scotland website.
Visit womenofscotland.org.uk for more information about how to get involved.
You can also follow the project on Facebook and Twitter, or share your images of memorials with our Flickr group.
