Govan celebrates Glasgow's strike hero Mary Barbour on International Women's Day

Residents gathered in Govan Cross at the monument commemorating the beloved Scottish activist who led the women of Glasgow in the 1915 rent strikes.

The ceremony had been held annually since the statue was installed on March 8, 2018, but had to be cancelled last year due to Covid restrictions. 

Members of organisations who raised funds for the monument, as well as local housing associations and politicians attended to lay flower tributes. 

Residents and members of local groups pose with the Mary Barbour monument in Govan

Esme Clark, from the Remember Mary Barbour Association (RMBA), who campaigned for the statue, said: “Today we’re remembering the spirit of Mary Barbour.

“She never gave up - when you think of the things she had to put up with, like the First World War and the cruel, cruel choices that people had to make then, we have to carry this spirit forward, not be downhearted.

“We have to pass the message down to our daughters and granddaughters and say to them, ‘when in doubt, remember Mary Barbour’.”

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Mary, who lived in Govan until her death, in 1958, has become a symbol for the area. 

During the First World War, she led the Women’s Peace Crusade, calling for an end to the conflict.

She was also elected to the Glasgow Town Council in 1920, becoming one of the first female politicians in the city.

In remembering the Govan campaigner, Ms Clark also paid homage to women victims of war across the world.

Mary Barbour is credited with having improved the housing conditions of Glaswegians

She added: “As women on International Women’s Day, we remember the ones who have gone, but also those who are fighting in Ukraine, who are saying goodbye to their sons, husbands and fathers, and they might never see them again.

“And we remember the young women and girls in Afghanistan whose life choices have been sent down the tubes. We will never give up and we will never forget them.”

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Barbour’s activism began with the Glasgow Rent Strikes in 2015, when she opposed the raising of rents and campaigned against slum housing.

Her work contributed to improving living conditions for Glaswegians across the city.

Bill Pritchard, from the Govan Reminiscence Group, said, although the figure of Mary Barbour is close to people's hearts here, more should be done to recognise women’s contributions to society.

The Mary Barbour monument was unveiled in 2018, after a successful fundraising campaign.

He said: “Glasgow only has four statues to women and Govan’s got two of them, so we’ve been pretty lucky.

“But women should be celebrated more in Glasgow, men always seem to be to the fore.

“If we go back to the war years, it was the women who held the fort, but they never got much recognition, while men came back with medals.”

He added: “Mary Barbour did a lot for Govan and Glasgow and it’s good to see she is now well represented.

“We’ve got three housing associations here that have followed on from the Barbour movement, and if people now have a bigger say in their housing rights it’s thanks to her.”

Flower tributes were laid at the statue in Govan Cross and attendees paid homage to women facing war across the world.

Local politicians and representatives of the local housing associations were also present at the event and laid flower tributes at the statue.

Govan councillor Bailie John Kaine said: “Mary Barbour made an incredible impact in the local community during World War One.

“She was a great example of how people can change things, she is an icon in the local community, so we felt we had to do something to mark her contribution.”

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The statue was unveiled at a ceremony on International Women’s Day 2018, after a successful campaign by the RMBA.

It received widespread support from the local community, as well as Glasgow City Council, the Scottish Parliament, Nicola Sturgeon and Sir Alex Ferguson, who is originally from the area.