Blue Plaque Unveiled in Honour of Amy Walmsley, Pioneering Educationalist and Politician
On the 100th anniversary earlier in December of women being able to stand as MPs, Mayor Dave Hodgson was invited to unveil a new blue plaque in honour of Amy Walmsley, the renowned educationalist and pioneering politician.
The plaque is located in The Crescent in Bedford, on the site of the Froebel Kindergarten School and Training College which Amy Walmsley led for many years, and which became Bedford Training College for Teachers.
Commenting on his Facebook page after the event, Mayor Dave Hodgson said:
"On the 100th anniversary of women first being able to stand as MPs, I was delighted to help unveil a blue plaque in The Crescent in Bedford today in honour of Amy Walmsley.
Amy Walmsley is a remarkable figure in Bedford's history; a leading member of the women's suffrage movement locally, and Bedfordshire's first female County Councillor. She was also a pioneering educationalist to boot, and the plaque is on the site of the Froebel Kindergarten School and Training College she led for many years, which became Bedford Training College for Teachers.
The Women of Bedford group have already come a long way in their campaign to erect a statue of Amy Walmsley, which will be Bedford's long overdue first statue of a woman. You can find out more about the campaign and how you can support it on their page."
You can see a short video and photos from the unveiling on the Bedford Independent website here, along with more details of the blue plaque project and of Amy Walmsley's remarkable life.