Women shipyard heroes immortalised in stunning sculpture

Published on 10, January, 2025

A stunning sculpture created by a University of Sunderland lecturer to pay homage to the forgotten women of Sunderland’s shipyards has officially been unveiled.

Situated on the banks of the River Wear, Molly is a life-size corten steel sculpture created by Dr Ron Lawson, an artist and Senior Lecturer at the University, whose own career began in heavy industry.

The artwork was commissioned by Sunderland City Council and the Sunderland branch of the Soroptimists – an organisation supporting and championing women and girls across the globe – and is the latest piece of public art to be added to the city’s growing sculpture trail.

Bridget Phillipson MP, who is the Minister for Women and Equalities, as well as the Secretary of State for Education, officially cut the ribbon.

She said: “As MP for Houghton and Sunderland South and Minister for Women and Equalities, I am proud to have unveiled this brilliant sculpture.

“The sculpture is a fantastic way to recognise our city’s rich shipbuilding heritage and celebrate the women of Wearside who played a crucial role in the war effort.

“I hope the statue serves as an inspiration for young women across our city to embrace the industries of tomorrow and continue to fight for equality.”

Molly has been a labour of love for the artist Ron, who himself started out as an apprentice sheet metalworker in the North Dock, only a few hundred yards from where the sculpture now stands. He has used the same heritage skills depicted in the sculpture to create it.

He said: “For generations my family have worked on the River Wear and in the Port of Sunderland and it’s been a privilege to create this tribute sculpture. Molly embodies the strength and resilience of those iconic women and girls who embraced the challenges of their time, and there were times during the sculpting it felt like she was creating herself, to tell her own story.”

The inspiration behind the Molly sculpture was the book series, The Shipyard Girls, by Sunday Times Bestselling author, Nancy Revell, who previously lived in Roker, not far from where the sculpture is located. The first book was published in 2016 and has since sold over half a million copies.

The thirteenth in the series – A secret in the family - is being published on 20th January 2025 and is the second book in her new series, The Cuthford Manor, which is an offshoot of the Shipyard Girls  and follows one of the women in her life after the war.

Nancy said: “Many of the women might have downed tools at the end of the war, but they are still such an inspiration for the women of today – especially the younger generation – in showing how resilient, hardworking and incredibly brave, women can be.

“Ever since stumbling upon a lone article in the BBC archives about the women who worked in the Sunderland shipyards during both wars, I was in awe of what they had done, but also incensed that they had been totally forgotten – and never revered for the critical and crucial work they had done during such a hugely important period of our history.

“It was this desire to ensure their legacy was never forgotten which inspired me to write The Shipyard Girls, so to be here today and to see this incredible sculpture paying homage to those women installed, fills me with immense pride. It is a fitting tribute to their legacy.”

The installation of Molly has seen it become the latest landmark in Sunderland’s growing sculpture-trail, which also features Ray Lonsdale’s ‘Gan Canny’, ‘Shadows in Another Light’, ‘Taking Flight’ and ‘Pathways to Knowledge’.

Cllr Beth Jones, portfolio holder for communities, culture and tourism at Sunderland City Council, said: “The Molly statue is a fantastic tribute to all of the inspirational women who worked in our shipyards and whose pivotal roles in the war effort are so often forgotten.

“Sunderland has an industrial history like no other and memorials such as this are key to ensuring that legacy lives on and continues to inspire generations of Wearside women to come.

“It is a permanent reminder of how important a role culture and heritage has to play in the life of our city and across all of our communities and I’m delighted to have been involved in the project.”

The Sunderland branch of the Soroptimists worked with Sunderland City Council on the commissioning of the artwork and helping to raise funding.

The project has been over eight years in the making and dozens of members had the pleasure of joining the Minister and guests for the unveiling, to finally see it in its full glory.

Sue Brown, from Soroptimist International Sunderland, said: “During the two world wars, women played an integral role in building the ships that supported the war effort.

“These were women who undertook jobs like welding, riveting, burning and rivet catching, as well as general labouring, operating cranes, and painting. It was perilous work. Yet, history seems to have forgotten them.

“We really felt that these women deserve something – a permanent tribute – to honour their bravery and hard work. We wanted to acknowledge the courage and dedication of the shipyard women, as well as to celebrate the Soroptimists, who have done so much to champion women and girls in this city, and we couldn’t be happier with the end result. It’s such a fitting tribute.”

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