Mary Wollstonecraft and International Women's Day

International Women's Day 2010

Mary Wollstonecraft, one of the very first feminists, lived and taught in Newington Green N16 for a period of her life, where she was much influenced by free thinking and radical poets and philosophers amongst the Dissenters at the Unitarian Church on the Green. Wollstonecraft's first book was written at Newington Green and 'Thoughts on the Education of Daughters' was published in 1787. Her most famous book 'A Vindication of the Rights of Woman', which was one of the first books to discuss feminist ideals and issues, was published in 1792.

There is more information about Mary Wollstonecraft's time in Newington Green, in 'The Village That Changed the World' by Alex Allardyce.

Wollstonecraft was one of the first people to publicly state that 'Contending for the rights of women, my main argument is built on this simple principle, that if she be not prepared by education to become the companion of man, she will stop the progress of knowledge, for truth must be common to all, or it will be inefficacious with respect to its influence on general practice'. Wollstonecraft would no doubt have been pleased to know that there is now an annual International Women's Day, which is celebrated on 8 March and that it draws attention to women's issues around the world, including themes of equality, human rights and political awareness, as advocated by the United Nations.

Locally, the day was marked in various ways, including an installation on Albion Parade N16 that celebrated women's traditional craft skills in a very colourful and enjoyable way. This was created by the Stoke Newington Women's Institute, so our thanks go to them for  turning a small and neglected garden into an interesting space that people enjoyed looking at.

8 March 2010

Update ~ IWD 2011

On International Women's Day 2011, the 100th anniversary of the formation of IWD, the Newington Green Action Group launched a new website dedicated to a project to erect a memorial sculpture to Mary Wollstonecraft on Newington Green. Please help us raise enough money to realise this dream:

www.maryonthegreen.org