Mary Wollstonecraft - a campaign for a memorial

[Bogeyface]

I had no idea who she was, its a travesty that she has been all but forgotten.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/womens-blog/2015/oct/05/original-suffragette-mary-wollstonecraft

www.maryonthegreen.org/index.shtml

Hell yes!

She is still taught on general undergrad English/History courses that cover that period, so not quite forgotten, thank goodness. However, there are a lot of these early feminists around that really have become lost - it's about time they had some appreciation! The history so often leaps from Wollstonecraft to the Suffragettes, and neglects the fact that there's so much of a complex fight in the late C18/early C19 just for women to be seen as individual subjects, let alone to be given legal and political rights.

I love reading "The English Marriage" by Maureen Waller, its fascinating and shows just how tough women had it throughout history until very very recently (1991 I believe before rape within marriage was recognised as a crime?).

I can highly recommend it www.amazon.co.uk/The-English-Marriage-Maureen-Waller/dp/1848544014

I am that there isn't a memorial already.

And that you hadn't heard of her, bogey.

Not a reflection on you, but on schools and also the extent to which we don't talk about important historical women.

I learnt about her at school, and I didn't do lit or history A-levels.

This might be a misreading, but a 'campaign' for a memorial sounds a bit off (that might be just my vocab baggage, though).

OP: perhaps you could start the programme to fundraise to site and create one?

Looking round London, many of the memorials have been erected by the public. They weren't campaigned for as such. Just the result of people getting on and doing it.

The name rang a bell but I didnt really know why I knew her name if you see what I mean?

She's had a blue plaque for 11 years so not entirely without a memorial. And A Vindication of the Rights of Women is still in print so she's a lot less forgotten than other early feminists.

As far as the blue plaques go it's based on ideas from the public so if you think someone should be remembered then find out their London address and write to English Heritage.

Oh, relieved to know there's blue plaque.

And that at least the name was familiar. I wouldn't fancy sitting an exam on her either, but did know a little about A Vindication and her life.

I think I did sit an exam on her once. English at university. I forget what the module was about precisely, but it covered the development of women's rights up to around 1900, and she featured very early on as instrumental in the instigation of education for girls as well as boys. Possibly. Or I could be conflating her with someone else (no idea who). My memory of university is pretty fuzzy. I'd hate to have to sit that exam again!

Anyway, yes, a memorial would be cool.

Has she been forgotten? I haven't read her writing but I don't think either she or Godwin are particularly obscure, even if only because of the connection to Mary Shelley, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Byron and Claire Clairmont.

Seems basic general knowledge.

'Forgotten' may be stretching it - but she's perhaps not as mainstream as she should be. It can't be a bad thing to give her more visibility.

Seems basic general knowledge.

Only if you know about it, iykwim.

I bet if you asked 100 people today who she is, most of them wouldnt know because she is not in their field of interest.

She is not in my field of interest. If one's field of interest is feminism in the UK I would have thought her name would be known.

I read a good double biography of her and Mary Shelley (her daughter) - it was published recently: Romantic Outlaws was the title, I think.

No problem with a memorial . Surprised she appears to be unknown.

Isn't it a bit like not knowing who Keir Hardie is if you are a socialist?

I think it is only 'basic general knowledge' if you have studied Eng Lit etc.
Where would the memorial be? Newington Green perhaps?

I did my dissertation on Mary Wollstonecraft - I would love to see a memorial to honour her - a grand idea. I hadn't forgotten her... "Women ought to have representatives, instead of being arbitrarily governed without any direct share allowed them in the deliberations of government."