Lady Rhondda: Jane Robbins will create suffragette statue

Lady Rhondda, born Margaret Haig-Thomas, spent time in prison in her fight for women's rights

A sculptor has been chosen to create a statue honouring Newport Suffragette Lady Rhondda.

Jane Robbins has been given the commission, which will be the fourth in a series of five statues celebrating inspirational Welsh women.

Lady Rhondda was a Suffragette, business woman, journalist and lifelong campaigner for women's equality.

Her monument will be erected following a national campaign to honour Wales' hidden heroines.

Lady Rhondda, born Margaret Haig-Thomas, led a 40 year campaign for women to be allowed to sit in the House of Lords.

Sadly, she died just before the law she fought for was changed, too late to take her own seat.

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Jane Robbins was chosen as the sculptor by Monumental Welsh Women and the Statue for Lady Rhondda group.

The announcement was made on BBC Radio Wales' Lynn Bowles programme on Sunday December 4.

Jane Robbins with her Emmeline Pankhurst sculpture

Her previous work includes a statue of American photographer Linda McCartney in Scotland, and a bust of Suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst in Manchester.

She said: "As a female sculptor I'm a rare breed - sculpture is a male dominated world.

"I like to think Lady Rhondda would approve of me being chosen to create her statue.

"I think in commemorative sculpture it's important to capture the person as they were in life.

"I'd like to celebrate the woman Lady Rhondda was in both the physical likeness I achieve, and in capturing the dignity she possessed throughout her life and work."

Helen Molyneux, from Monumental Welsh Women, said: "Lady Rhondda's achievements were vast and diverse - from her political campaigning, to her pioneering business accomplishments, to her influential journalism."

The five women who were shortlisted for BBC Wales' Hidden Heroines: Elizabeth Andrews, Betty Campbell, Cranogwen, Lady Rhondda and Elaine Morgan

This is the fourth statue commissioned to celebrate the achievements of Wales' hidden heroines.

A statue of Betty Campbell, Wales' first black headteacher, was unveiled in Cardiff in September 2021 and a statue of Elaine Morgan, an evolutionary theorist, journalist and dramatist, was unveiled in Mountain Ash in March this year.

A third statue, of Cranogwen, the master mariner and poet, will be unveiled in June next year.

Monumental Welsh Women also aim to deliver their fifth statue, of political activists Elizabeth Andrews.

Julie Nicholas, from the Statue for Lady Rhondda Campaign, said: "The panel agreed that Jane's idea for the statue not only represents the story of Lady Rhondda and her many achievements, but also cleverly reflects the story of Newport, where the statue will be situated."

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