Purple Plaques Explained

The Purple Plaques (Welsh: Placiau Porffor) scheme in Wales, UK aims to install plaques on buildings to increase recognition of the lives of women who have had a significant and long-lasting impact associated with Wales.

The scheme was initiated by several members of the National Assembly for Wales, led by Julie Morgan, Member of the Senedd for Cardiff North.^[1] The purple colour was chosen because of its association with the women's suffrage movement. The scheme was initially organised in partnership with the gender equality charity Chwarae Teg, (Fair Play) and subsequently became an independent charity.

It was launched on 8 March 2017 (International Women's Day) with the aim of installing the first plaque on the Senedd building to commemorate Val Feld. The plaques are glazed purple ceramic with white lettering. Subsequently, one to three plaques have been installed each year.^[2]

Criteria for a plaque include that the person must be a deceased woman with strong links to Wales, and that she must have made a remarkable contribution in Wales or beyond. The extent of her impact on women, including as a role model, will also be considered, as well as whether she has already been commemorated.^{[3] [4]} In addition to those who are already well known but may not yet be commemorated publicly, the scheme especially aims to recognise women who have previously not been recognised.^[5] Practical considerations such as a need for planning permission will also be considered.

Plaques installed

As of June 2024, 17 purple plaques have been installed^[6] to mark the following:

• Val Feld, installed on Senedd building 2018. One of the architects of devolution for Wales; Director and founder of Shelter Cymru; activist for social and gender equality.^[7]
• Ursula Masson, installed on Merthyr Tydfil Central Library 2019. Academic specialising in women’s history and feminism; founded Centre for Gender Studies in Wales at University of South Wales.
• Megan Lloyd George, installed on her family's home in Criccieth 2019. First woman MP for a Welsh constituency.
• Angela Kwok, installed on her family's take-away in Pontcanna 2020. Champion of isolated Chinese people in south Wales.^[8]
• Eunice Stallard, installed on the Miners Welfare Hall, Ystradgynlais 2020. Peace campaigner and political activist.
• Martha Gellhorn, installed on her retirement cottage in Devauden 2021. American war correspondent, novelist, travel writer, and journalist.^[9]
• Charlotte Price White, installed on her family home in Bangor 2021. Suffragist and politician.^[10]
• Dinah Williams, installed on a cow byre at her home in Borth, Ceredigion, 2021. Pioneering woman organic farmer and entrepreneur.^[11]
• Eirene White, Baroness White on Flint Town Hall in June 2022. She was one of the first three women to represent Wales in the UK Parliament, and indeed Wales's only female MP for ten years.^[12]
• Thora Silverthorne in 2022 in Abertillery; international brigader, trade unionist and nurse.
• Frances Hoggan on 3 March 2023 at her birthplace in Brecon; campaigner, social reformer and the first female doctor to be registered in Wales.^[13]
• Patti Flynn, installed in the Wales Millennium Centre on 24 March 2023 in her home town of Cardiff: singer and black rights activist.^[14]
• Rose Davies, councillor and campaigner.^{[15] [16]}
• Annie Hughes Griffiths was a peace campaigner.^[17]
• Jemima Nicholas helped prevent an invasion of Britain by French troops at Fishguard in the 18th century.^[18]
• Dorothy Miles was a poet and activist in the deaf community.^[19]
• Bernice Rubens was a novelist who was awarded the Booker Prize in 1970.^[20]

Notes and References

1. News: Cavill . Nancy . The war reporter and her 'retreat' in Wales; Nancy Cavill uncovers the little-known links between an American war correspondent and novelist and Wales - as a Purple Plaque is unveiled in her memory at her former home in Monmouthshire... pages 12 - 14. The Western Mail . 3 July 2021.
2. News: Mosalski . Ruth . Purple plaques bid is launched to mark women's contribution to Welsh life . 2 July 2021 . Wales Online . 8 March 2017.
3. Web site: Who are Purple Plaques for? Guidelines for proposing a Purple Plaque . Purple plaques . 3 July 2021.
4. News: Rieder . Duncan . Chwarae Teg calls for Purple Plaques to honour remarkable women in North Wales for International Day of the Girl . 3 July 2021 . Denbighshire Free Press . 27 April 2019.
5. Web site: About Purple Plaques . Chwarae Teg . 3 July 2021.
6. Web site: Purple plaque stories . Purple plaques . 2 July 2021.
7. Web site: Val Feld . 100+ Welsh Women . 3 July 2021.
8. News: Chinese community champion honoured with purple plaque in Cardiff . BBC News . 24 January 2020 . 3 July 2021.
9. News: 2021-07-02. Reporter Martha Gellhorn honoured with purple plaque. en-GB. BBC News. 2021-07-02.
10. Web site: Former home of suffragist Charlotte Price White, Bangor . HistoryPoints . 5 July 2021.
11. News: Rachel's Dairy founder honoured with purple plaque . BBC News . 24 September 2021 . 23 March 2022.
12. News: Purple plaque to honour one of the first female MPs for Wales to unveiled in Flint today . 13 June 2022 . Deeside.com . 10 June 2022 . en.
13. News: 2023-03-03 . Purple plaque for first Brit woman to get medical degree . en-GB . BBC News . 2023-03-04.
14. Web site: Patti Flynn . Placiau Porrfor/Purple Plaques . 12 October 2023.
15. Web site: Rose Davies (1882 – 1958) . Placiau Porffor/Purple Plaques . 12 October 2023.
16. Web site: Rose Davies: local socialist feminist honoured with a Purple Plaque at Cynon Valley Museum . Amgueddfa Cwm Cynon/Cynon Valley Museum . 12 October 2023.
17. Web site: Elis . Meg . Annie Jane Hughes Griffiths (1873 - 1942) . Dictionary of Welsh Biography/Y Bwygraffiadur Cymreig . 26 June 2024.
18. News: Morris . Steven . 2024-02-24 . Welsh woman ‘who took on French invaders’ with pitchfork wins recognition . 2024-02-24 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
19. Web site: University of Bristol Graduate School of Education. 7 August 2011.
20. News: Morris . Steven . Bernice Rubens, first woman to win Booker, honoured with Cardiff plaque . 26 June 2024 . The Guardian . 21 June 2024.