A statue to honour the pioneering writer, evolutionary theorist and trailblazing feminist Elaine Morgan has been unveiled at a primary care building in Mountain Ash, South Wales following a campaign by the Monumental Welsh Women group and supported by members of our team.
The statue of Elaine Morgan, a permanent immortalisation in bronze of the celebrated daughter of the South Wales Valleys, now sits outside Meddygfa Glan Cynon Surgery in Mountain Ash, Rhondda Cynon Taf.
It has been designed and created by renowned sculptor Emma Rodgers and commissioned following the Hidden Heroines campaign organised by Monumental Welsh Women, and funded with help from the Apollo team which built the primary care centre and who are now part of Assura.
Helen Molyneux, founder of Monumental Welsh Women group said: “Our Mission is to celebrate female ambition and success by commemorating the achievements of great Welsh Women - and to inspire the next generation of great Welsh women. We are delighted to be able to announce the commissioning of our project’s second statue, of Elaine Morgan – during Women’s History Month and in the 50th year anniversary of the publication of Decent of Woman (1972) and 40th year of The Aquatic Ape (1982). Elaine was a wonderful dramatist and feminist icon, and we are thrilled to be able to immortalise her achievements so that she will be remembered in her hometown and beyond for years to come. She was an inspirational woman, and we hope her statue will act as an inspiration to the girls – and boys – of Mountain Ash and everyone who sees her.”
Gareth Morgan, Elaine Morgan’s son said: “I know Elaine would have been delighted with the work of the Monumental Welsh Women statue campaign, not for the recognition of her own achievements but in celebrating the lives of the many extraordinary women that Wales has produced. Elaine’s work has helped to inspire women everywhere and I have seen messages to her from women all over the world who wrote to thank her for changing their lives. Some had been inspired to forge a career in science, while others took up writing or some other long held ambition after reading her books, and they all expressed how she had changed their view of women, of science and of themselves.”
The statue of Elaine was made possible thanks to the support of Monumental Welsh Women’s funders including Assura, as well as partners and generous donations by members of the public.