The Rotherwas Women
In 2004 Herefordshire Councillor Chris Chappell led a campaign to bring public art to Rotherwas to highlight the contribution women have made over the years to the Industrial Estate, and its previous role as a Munitions Factory in the First and Second World Wars.
Rotherwas Women is situated on Hereford's Rotherwas Industrial Estate and was funded by European and Central Government grants. Herefordshire Council lobbied for the funding as part of an initiative to bring public art to the area to highlight the positive role women have had at Rotherwas.
Artist Bruce Williams was commissioned to produce the designs etched on 14ft-tall granite slabs along Holme Lacy Road, also known as ‘The Straight Mile’. A local artist, Jenny Pickford was selected to benefit from the project by being mentored by Bruce Williams. Jenny has gone on to do further social engagement work as a result of the experience she gained during the project.
The sculptures depict the faces of three Rotherwas women: Joan Hiles, whose mother worked in the munitions factory at Rotherwas in the First World War; a local businesswoman Debbie Gittoes, and Sophia Dillon, whose grandfather worked as a foreman and guard in the munitions factory in the Second World War.
The slabs also feature designs from local landmarks: a Celtic knot from Kilpeck Church, a zig-zag pattern from Hereford Cathedral and a patchwork design from Rotherwas Chapel.
Prior to the work being carried out, a consultation in 2004 involved 900 residents and businesses in the local area, as well as five display panels and workshops with 80 young people in South Wye. Over 300 people supplied names of men and women who worked at Rotherwas; these names have been added to the piece that represents the war years. This list of names on the sculpture cannot be updated, but Rotherwas Together is working to remember individuals who worked in the munitions in other ways.
The gateway piece and first artwork in the series was erected in early August 2005 and unveiled at a public ceremony attended by 115 people. The second and third in the series were installed by the end of August 2005.