The Great Women of Dundee

Emerging as a hotbed for enterprise, connectivity and lifestyle, Dundee is continuing to evolve, quickly solidifying its diverse identity. The past four weeks alone have seen the opening of Dundee’s new train station, numerous contemporary restaurants and two new hotels. And the great women of Dundee had a remarkable role to play in the changing landscape of our city.

Once known as ‘She Town’, Dundee had a strong culture of working women in the jute mills who dominated the workforce in the 20th Century. And it was these same women who helped to drive the industry forward and form the foundations of the Dundee we know and love today.

The Dundee Women’s Trail commemorates just some of the inspiring women who helped to shape our dynamic city. 25 bronze plaques around the city commemorate remarkable Dundee women from over 4 centuries. From suffragettes, to marine engineers and artists, the trail tells the story of these unique women and how they will forever be a part of Dundee’s heritage.

25 footsteps of Dundee’s great women over 4 centuries.

The Three Marys

Mary Ann Baxter

One of the city’s most notable philanthropists, every single female student and alumnus of Dundee University owes their education to Mary Ann Baxter. At the grand old age of 80, she founded the University of Dundee, then known as University College, Dundee, paving the way for equal education and the burgeoning of women’s careers. She also opened Baxter Park to create an open, green space for the people of Dundee.

Mary Slessor

A bold adventurer and a missionary, Mary Slessor began her life as a skilled jute worker in Dundee. She then travelled to Nigeria where she promoted women’s rights, the protection of children and formed a strong bond with the local people. With many memorials to her name in West Africa and in Scotland, Dundee’s Slessor Gardens was named after her in 2015. Even as the city continues to change and transform, historical figures such as Mary Slessor continue to live on in its industrial and cultural heritage.

Mary Shelley

Although she’s not included on the Women’s Trail, as a literature lover, I couldn’t help but mention Mary Shelley. Coming to Dundee in 1812, she found the city to be a huge inspiration for her Gothic masterpiece Frankenstein which she wrote at just 18 years old. And when the Dundee haar looks this atmospheric, who could blame her?

(Photo by Andy McGill.)

With countless cultural adaptions in films and comic books, the twisted tale of a ‘mad scientist’ playing god-like creator still lives on in the imaginations of those centuries after Shelley’s time. (Can you tell it’s one of my favourite books?) A new Dundee edition of Frankenstein is being published in the city later this year, with specially commissioned illustrations from renowned Dundee comics artists, celebrating Shelley’s ties to the city and showcasing Dundee’s creative comic book culture. Due to be released on the 200th anniversary of the novel, it will be given out to schoolchildren in Dundee for free.

For a full list of the incredible women on the Dundee Women’s Trail, you can view the Dundee Women’s Trail information leaflet.

The Great Women of Dundee: Past and Present

Today, Dundee Women’s Festival celebrates women’s culture and the lives and identities of remarkable ladies around the city. This year’s #DWF18 coincided with International Women’s Day on March 8th, celebrating women’s accomplishments in the past, the present and in the years to come. From conversation cafés to workshops and tours, the programme of events also featured talks from remarkable Dundee women including forensic anthropologist, academic and anatomist Professor Dame Sue Black.

The annual festival is interwoven with the identity of the city, nurturing the long-standing culture of strong, self-resilient women in Dundee.

Looking to the Future

Dundee has been home to some incredible women whose lives have helped to shape the city’s unique culture and drive its identity forward. And there are more great women of Dundee today who are undoubtedly shaping the future of the city in years to come. Who do you think these great women are? Are there other remarkable women from Dundee’s history I haven’t mentioned? I’d love to know your thoughts, so feel free to drop me a Facebook comment below!