Mary Barbour Statue

Glasgow

The Mary Barbour statue in Glasgow is a tribute to a remarkable woman who played a pivotal role in the 1915 rent strikes. Located at Govan Cross, the statue was unveiled on March 8, 2018, coinciding with International Women's Day. Mary Barbour led "Mrs. Barbour's Army," a group of women who protested against landlords exploiting wartime poverty by raising rents. Their efforts led to the Rent Restriction Act of 1915.

The statue, created by sculptor Andrew Brown, depicts Barbour leading her "army" and serves as a reminder of her contributions to social justice and housing reform. She was also one of Glasgow's first female councillors and a champion for maternity benefits, education, and equal voting rights.

Mary Barbour was born on February 20, 1875, in Kilbarchan, a village in Renfrewshire, Scotland. She grew up in a working-class family, with her father being a handloom carpet weaver. Her early life in Kilbarchan and later in Elderslie shaped her understanding of the struggles faced by working-class communities, which influenced her activism later in life.