Tribute to chainmaking heroine

A memorial to the country's first woman trade union leader Mary Macarthur is set to be built in Cradley Heath to mark the centenary of the historic chainmakers' strike.

A campaign has been launched to build a stature or other permanent tribute to the activist in the Mary Macarthur Gardens in Lower High Street.

A meeting is set to be organised to form an action group to petition for funding in the coming weeks.

Mary Macarthur, formed the National Federation of Women Workers in 1906 and visited Cradley Heath in 1909 to view conditions facing women in the chain-making industry.

Her intervention is believed to have led to a 150 per cent pay rise for the workers, following a 10 week workers strike in 1910. Margaret James, a former deputy mayor and a founder member of Cradley Heath Action Forum, is setting up the group after canvassing people from the area.

She said: "What she did in this area was revolutionary .

"It was quite amazing and transformed the lives of the women working in the chain and nail making industries in Cradley Heath.

"I have spoken to people about this locally and there is a lot of support.

"I am in the process of setting up a pressure group and am arranging meeting with Sandwell Council to ask for funding.

"We are hoping to get Cradley Heath sculptor Luke Perry on board to help us with the design and are planning to fund the public art using money from 106 agreements — cash from developers ring fenced to be spent on improving the local area."

It is thought that the sculpture will cost in the region on £15,000.

Its introduction is part of a wider plan to spruce up the gardens for the centenary, planned by Sandwell Council.

The Mary Macarthur Memorial Gardens were given a £184,000 facelift in 1998 with the help of Sandwell Regeneration Partnerships, English Partnership and Sandwell Council.

The annual Women's Chainmakers' Festival at the Black Country History Museum celebrates the anniversary of the strike each autumn.