(1799-1847)
Almost 3 years after I started my tour, I find myself essentially where I began. An article about the unveiling of a Mary Anning statue in her hometown of Lyme Regis sparked the journey to visit every woman statue in the UK. At the time, Mary was only one of 128 female (non royal) historical women. Now there are around 150 and advancing. When I finally get down to meet her I have only 27 statues left to visit. Then what?
The campaign to raise awareness and funds for the statue was spearheaded by Anya Pearson, stating, “Mary Anning was three things you didn’t want to be in 19th-century Britain – she was female, working class and poor.” (https://www.maryanningrocks.co.uk)
Mary Anning was a pioneering palaeontologist and fossil collector. Born into a family of nine or ten children, only Mary and her older brother, Joseph, survived to adulthood. Born and raised in poverty, she struggled all her life financially despite selling her finds to earn a living. She is now credited with spectacular finds, including her ichthyosaur, plesiosaur and pterosaur digs which were a first.
Despite this she had little recognition for her pioneering work and is only now getting the credit she deserves.
WomenstatuesUK 