Newport suffragette Lady Rhondda statue is being unveiled

It is the fourth of five statues of women shortlisted as Wales’ hidden heroines following a national campaign, broadcast by BBC Wales in 2019.     

The other five women honored with a statue include:   

• Betty Campbell (unveiled in 2021 in Cardiff) 

• Elaine Morgan (unveiled in 2022 in Mountain Ash) 

• Sarah Jane Reese, known as Cranogwen (unveiled in Llangrannog in 2023) 

• Elizabeth Andrews (statue due be unveiled in 2025) 

Lady Rhondda (Image: Google/supplied)

The bronze and weathered steel statue will be sited on the eastern side of the Millennium Footbridge in Newport city centre. 

The unveiling ceremony will begin at 10.45am pm on September 26 at Millennium Walk, Newport city centre, NP19 0LZ. 

It will feature Lady Rhondda’s Suffragette Choir, performances by local school children and a reading of a poem by Gillian Clarke.    

What is Lady Rhondda famous for?

Lady Rhondda (Image: Collection of AV Morgan)

Lady Rhondda, born Margaret Haig Thomas, was a Suffragette, a global businesswoman, a journalist and editor and lifelong campaigner for women’s equality.   

The suffragette, who grew up in Llanwern, made the fight for the vote front page news and was imprisoned for her efforts.   

Lady Rhondda set fire to a post box and was sent to prison, where she went on hunger strike.    

In 1915, while crossing the Atlantic, she survived the sinking of the Lusitania when it was torpedoed through the war, claiming more than 1,100 lives.    

As a pioneering journalist, she founded and edited the groundbreaking, influential weekly political and literary review magazine Time and Tide.   

She also used the paper to push her progressive programme called The Six Point Group, which made gender equality paramount.     

Her 40-year campaign for female peers resulted in women being able to sit in the House of Lords. Sadly, she died before the law she fought for was changed, too late to take her own seat. 

A post box (Image: File)

The campaign for the statue

A campaign, named Statue for Lady Rhondda, began in 2019 with the goal of raising £100,000. 

The Argus has supported the Statue for Lady Rhondda campaign group, with editor Gavin Thompson describing her as “a wonderful role model”. 

In 2020, the Argus called on readers to back a campaign calling for a statue of the hometown heroine Lady Rhondda.  

In June 2024, the council granted permission for the statue to be put up on the eastern side of the Millennium Footbridge. 

The campaign was organised by The Monumental Welsh Women group in partnership with the Statue for Lady Rhondda group and Studio Response.  

Helen Molyneux, Chair of Monumental Welsh Women said: “Lady Rhondda was an inspirational woman who fought for the rights of women throughout her life.   

“We hope this statue will act as an inspiration to the women and girls of Newport to do likewise.” 

Julie Nicholas from the Statue for Lady Rhondda Campaign said: “This amazing women-led campaign has put Newport’s most famous daughter on a pedestal in the heart of our city.” 

Prof. Angela V. John, Lady Rhondda’s biographer said: “Jane Robbins’ imposing statue of Lady Rhondda in Newport is a powerful reminder of her importance in British society in the first half of the twentieth century.” 

They campaign group would like to thank all who donated to the Lady Rhondda statue campaign and the following individuals and groups:  

Sculptor Jane Robbins, fabricators Castle Fine Art Foundry, plinth Stone Sign, Newport city council, Welsh Government, ISG, Arup, Taylor Wimpey and the women who have generously of their time to cast their hand with sculptor Jane Robbins and Chris Butler, founder of Castle Fine Art Foundry. 

The statue

It has been designed and created by sculptor Jane Robbins, known for her figurative works specialising in the human form.  

“Proudly coming from a Welsh background, I was delighted and honoured to be asked to create a statue of Lady Rhondda.  

“Also being a female sculptor working in a largely male dominated profession I thought, “WHAT a woman!” 

“She was ahead of her time and didn’t take no for an answer, as she courageously set about changing the lives of women in the UK for the better.  

“Her actions are as relevant today as they were a century ago," said Jane Robbins.

An important feature of the Lady Rhondda statue is the circle of clasped hands, cast from the hands of around 40 present-day women. 

The circle of clasped hands represents women of today and recognises the efforts of women in the past who fought for equality which inspires us to continue to do so for future generations. 

These include (but not limited to) Lady Rhondda’s biographer, Angela V. John, history Professor Olivette Otele who lives in Newport, Wales footballer and record goal scorer Helen Ward and community champion Tracey Jones.