Rare new statue of black woman unveiled in London - who is she?
A rare new statue of a black woman who has been 'hidden in history' has been unveiled for Londoners to make wishes at.
The statue of Mary Woolaston has been erected after it was found there were only three permanent statues of black women in London.
She was said to be a 17th century woman in King's Cross, who kept a well with the ability to people's eyes.
Now, made from St Bees sandstone and carved by Marcia Bennett-Male, the only black female stone carver in the UK, Mary has been brought back to he heart of London in Cowthorpe Community Gardens.
Lead artist Gaylene Gould told Metro: 'There are glimpses of Mary in the history books, but some people still deny she exists.
'There is one argument suggesting she was actually a black cow, or a nun just wearing a habit, but we want to breathe life into her.
'But she now stands to represent working class women, particuarly those of colour, who have never had history written properly about her.'
The statue has been placed in Cowthorpe, next to a stream which runs through a small community garden in the middle of high rises.
Around her, the previously disused area has been transformed into a pleasure garden to try and create a space which Mary would have thrived in.
'As I was walking through the area, I just immediately knew, 'this is Mary's well',' Gaylene said.
'We want Londoners to be able to pause just for a moment, offer wishes, prayers.'
The idea to create a statue of Mary has been in the back of Gaylene's mind for years. But after the Covid pandemic erupted and people were ordered to keep to a more solitary existence, plans were put into action.
She said: 'All of a sudden there was a big threat to our survival, and people were without a community.
'But there were people who were voluntarily still trying to keep their areas alive and connected, such as gardeners and keepers. We want to honour them.'
Funding to create the statue was granted by the Mayor of London's office who started a project to increase diversity in the public realm.
It was commissioned in 2020 to highlight previously untold stories for London's diverse histories.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
MORE: Why 'big hairy' Welsh miners led London Pride in 1985
MORE: Patient who threw bricks at paramedics and smashed ambulance avoids jail
MORE: I'm a shopping writer and here's what I'm buying this week – from Berghaus to Skin Rocks
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Man who spent £50,000 on WWIII bunker plans to splash out another £10k on it
A dad who spent £50k building an underground bunker is planning to spend another £10k to upgrade it in case World War Three breaks out. Dave Billings, 44, began the project at his Derbyshire home more than a decade ago, inspired by the film The Great Escape. But with tensions rising in the Middle East, he's decided to prep the shelter to become a place of survival, but warned it won't be 'nuclear-proof'. Dad-of-one Dave, who lives with his wife Beth and their seven-year-old son Oliver, said the goal is to have a secure underground space for his family if things take a turn for the worse. He said: 'With the way things are changing, I'm prepping it to be more of a survival place. It won't necessarily be nuclear-proof, but if you need to hide away, you'll be able to survive.' Dave, an engineer and content creator, estimates he's so far spent around £50,000 on the bunker, which started as a disused well. A 35ft tunnel now leads into a multi-room facility, which measures 140ft in total, and features a handcrafted Great Escape tunnel, gym, toilet, sink, and even a beer lift disguised as a keg to carry drinks down to the bunker. The upgrade will consist of food supply, air filtration, water supply and blast doors. Dave said, 'I'm going to have to have emergency supplies of food. I'm going to guarantee a source of water. I think the idea is to make a water filtration unit so we can safely use the well water. 'I want to make blast doors in the bunker so if a big explosion went off outside, it would hold the door shut better. As long as you've got food, you can stay here indefinitely.' Dave compared his shelter to a hideaway, like Anderson shelters in World War Two: 'People think we're going to get a direct hit, but I'm in the middle of nowhere, it's not really somewhere you get a bomb, is it?' While he doesn't claim to be a 'prepper' – people who stockpile in case of disasters or wars – Dave said the recent government warnings made him realise how far ahead he is in terms of readiness. 'When I saw it on the news and it said you've got to be prepared for war, I thought, 'What are you preparing for? Because having somewhere underground with a food supply where you can lock yourself in is quite prepared, really,' he said. More Trending Despite the serious upgrades, Dave says he's still figuring it out as he goes and doesn't have a 'big plan'. He's suggested that others prepare a supply of food to keep in their home, because if things were to go wrong, 'there isn't a shop'. On his advice to others, he suggested preparing a supply of food to keep in your house ready. 'If people have got to stay in their houses, you've got to be prepared. Have enough stuff in your house to last you two or three weeks if you can't go out the door. It's always better to be a bit prepared.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: I've been preparing for nuclear war all my life – this time it's different MORE: Why radio is still the ultimate survival tool in war and emergencies MORE: Map shows safest countries to be in if global conflict breaks out
Metro
19 hours ago
- Metro
Rare new statue of black woman unveiled in London - who is she?
A rare new statue of a black woman who has been 'hidden in history' has been unveiled for Londoners to make wishes at. The statue of Mary Woolaston has been erected after it was found there were only three permanent statues of black women in London. She was said to be a 17th century woman in King's Cross, who kept a well with the ability to people's eyes. Now, made from St Bees sandstone and carved by Marcia Bennett-Male, the only black female stone carver in the UK, Mary has been brought back to he heart of London in Cowthorpe Community Gardens. Lead artist Gaylene Gould told Metro: 'There are glimpses of Mary in the history books, but some people still deny she exists. 'There is one argument suggesting she was actually a black cow, or a nun just wearing a habit, but we want to breathe life into her. 'But she now stands to represent working class women, particuarly those of colour, who have never had history written properly about her.' The statue has been placed in Cowthorpe, next to a stream which runs through a small community garden in the middle of high rises. Around her, the previously disused area has been transformed into a pleasure garden to try and create a space which Mary would have thrived in. 'As I was walking through the area, I just immediately knew, 'this is Mary's well',' Gaylene said. 'We want Londoners to be able to pause just for a moment, offer wishes, prayers.' The idea to create a statue of Mary has been in the back of Gaylene's mind for years. But after the Covid pandemic erupted and people were ordered to keep to a more solitary existence, plans were put into action. She said: 'All of a sudden there was a big threat to our survival, and people were without a community. 'But there were people who were voluntarily still trying to keep their areas alive and connected, such as gardeners and keepers. We want to honour them.' Funding to create the statue was granted by the Mayor of London's office who started a project to increase diversity in the public realm. It was commissioned in 2020 to highlight previously untold stories for London's diverse histories. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Why 'big hairy' Welsh miners led London Pride in 1985 MORE: Patient who threw bricks at paramedics and smashed ambulance avoids jail MORE: I'm a shopping writer and here's what I'm buying this week – from Berghaus to Skin Rocks
Wales Online
20 hours ago
- Wales Online
Couple trying to convert WWII water tower into seven-bedroom home hit problems
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A couple trying to convert a World War Two water tower into a seven-bedroom home say they "can't afford" to leave the project incomplete as they set up a GoFundMe appeal Sean Davies, 55, and Mary Davies, 57, bought more than an acre of land at the disused RAF Hospital Nocton Hall site for £25,000 in 2018. They took on the huge conversion of the 1940s water tower in Lincolnshire in 2021, armed with a £350,000 budget and hopes of creating their dream home with seven-bedrooms and four-bathrooms. However, the couple, who have five children and five grandchildren, have hit several obstacles along the way. They were forced to temporarily live in a caravan while the site was uninhabitable and install their own utilities, such as sewage treatment and drinking water. Join the North Wales Live Whatsapp community now (Image: Family handout/PA Real Life) Unexpected renovation costs pushed them well over budget, so the pair set up a GoFundMe page for support to finish the build as they estimate the total cost will be £500,000. They say they "can't afford" to leave the project incomplete as they would be left with "nothing", reports the Manchester Evening News. Fortunately, the couple predict that the work will now be completed by the end of summer, with only the renovations on the top three floors of the five-storey tower and the installation of a sprinkler system remaining. But following Sean's diagnosis with motor neurone disease (MND) in March 2023, an incurable condition that progressively damages parts of the nervous system, they are eager to finish the project so he can enjoy the fruits of their labour before his condition worsens. Having previously lived in council properties, the couple were drawn to the RAF site by the abundance of space and privacy it offered, with more than an acre of land included in the sale. "When we arrive home, we go through the big military gates on the site and drive past all the derelict buildings," Sean said. "There's no street lighting, no public access, no neighbours - we're driving through history just to reach our home. He added: "When the site finally gets developed, the tower is very likely going to be the only bit which remains." Mary commented: "It's been part of the landscape for the locals since the 40s, it would have been a shame for that to have disappeared. "We're custodians to the water tower, I don't feel like we own it really and, one day, it will be passed onto someone else in the future when we've finished enjoying it." With strong connections to the site, Mary's father worked as a civilian electrician at the hospital and her significant other, Sean, was a patient there at the tender age of seven. Sean said they realised "it would be a fantastic build" if they decided to convert the tower, leading to their efforts to transform the 15m-tall structure into a seven-bedroom, four-bathroom residence. The main living spaces including the kitchen, lounge, office, gym, utility room, and a toilet are nestled in a modern glass extension, the bedrooms and bathrooms find their place within the tower itself. Mary explained the creation of the glass addition saying: "It was the only way we could get planning permission so it was a little more costly with the glass and the timber frame, but at the end of it we're going to have a seven-bedroom property," They also had to install their own utilities in the once uninhabited space, such as sewage treatment, filtration for drinking water and a heating tank. The tower itself is "not a huge space" width-wise, Mary said, but thanks to its height it has the potential for five floors, with two currently functioning as bedrooms and a bathroom, leaving three left to complete. "We're experiencing now what it's like to sleep in the tower," Mary revealed. "It's the perfect place for a restful sleep, it's absolutely brilliant, and it's a miracle we've been able to do this." To complete the renovation fully, the couple need to finish the tower's conversion, fit a sprinkler system, and round off any plastering, painting and decorating. (Image: Family handout/PA Real Life) After Sean was diagnosed with MND in March 2023 during the renovations, they are keen to finish the conversion by summer's end for him to "enjoy" their efforts before his condition deteriorates. Sean shared his experience with an experimental treatment drug called Tofersen, which he credits with helping manage his symptoms, such as weakness and muscle reduction, for around a year. "It's given us hope for a better future," Mary stated optimistically. Facing unexpected costs that stretched their budget, the couple set up a GoFundMe page, estimating the total spend on the conversion at about £500,000. "We're really grateful to everyone who has donated," said Mary, acknowledging the support they received. "You don't set up a GoFundMe page without a lot of thought and we're just trying to relieve some of the stress on us. "Once you start a project like this, you've got to finish it - you can't afford to not finish it because then you've got nothing."
