Work starts on sculpture to honour Sunderland's 'forgotten' shipyard girls

Designs for a tribute to Sunderland’s women shipyard workers have been unveiled.

Dr Ron Lawson, a Sunderland-born artist whose career started in heavy industry, has been commissioned by the city’s Soroptimists, with the support of Sunderland City Council and Apextra CIC, to create a lasting legacy for the Wearside women who kept the then town's shipyards running during the war.

As their husbands, sons and friends fought on the battlefields, hundreds of Wearside women took on the backbreaking work of the shipyards, which were one of the biggest shipbuilders in the world and a vital part of the war effort.

More than 700 women were employed in the yards at the height of the conflict, including 130 at Doxfords, and almost a thousand more found work in marine engineering shops.

For many it was their first foray into the world of work, but it was a new found independence many had to give up when the men returned from the frontline. Their efforts have also been immortalised in the hugely-popular Shipyard Girls book series by Nancy Revell, which have become Sunday Times Bestsellers.

Once complete, the statue, which depicts a life-size female welder, will take pride of place on the riverside walkway at St Peter’s, looking directly across to the Port of Sunderland, where many ships built for the war effort would have set sail, destined for battle.

It is expected that the artwork, made from forged and welded Corten self-weathering steel, will be installed by the end of summer, joining a number of pieces of public art that line the banks of the Wear.   

The work is the vision of the Soroptimist International Sunderland Club - a worldwide organisation of women who promote education, to enable and empower to improve the life chances of women and girls.

The tribute will also mark 85 years of the Soroptimists in Sunderland. 

Suzanne Brown, who has been a member of the Soroptimists for more than 35 years, was so inspired by the Shipyard Girls books that she set out to create a tribute that would also act as a celebration of the Soroptimists in Sunderland.

She discussed it with the Soroptimists club members, before engaging with the council to set the wheels in motion and ensure the vision could become a reality. 

The collective originally appointed an artist in 2019 but they say after setbacks, including Covid, went on to commission Dr Lawson to take the work forward and he is currently crafting the piece – with the support of his son Alex - from his studio in Dubmire, near Fence Houses. 

Suzanne said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the beautiful tribute that Ron has designed and it will be a dream come true to see it in place when it’s complete. It wouldn’t have been possible without the wonderful support of Ron, the council and Apextra CIC. 

“These were women undertaking 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, which has done so much to champion women and girls in this city. 

 “We are just so excited to see the final piece. The sketches Ron shared of the sculpture he will create were simply wonderful and exactly what we pictured when we set out on this journey to celebrate these amazing women.”

As well as taking private commissions, Ron is also a senior lecturer at the University of Sunderland, and has a Doctorate in arts-based approaches in professional practice, and an MA degree in Contemporary Fine Art.

He said: “It's such a privilege for a Sunderland artist to be commissioned to design and create such an iconic sculpture.

 “I'm very proud of my Sunderland heritage, and I feel really connected to the subject and the place. The metalwork skills I'm using to make the sculpture were honed when I was an apprentice sheet metal worker at the North Dock, just a few hundred yards away from where she will be standing.

 “The sculpture is a life-size representation of a female welder wearing the personal protective equipment of the period, and she herself is made from forged and welded steel, which is rather appropriate.”

The Soroptimists’ piece has been supported by Sunderland City Council.

Councillor John Price, vibrant city cabinet member at Sunderland City Council, said: “The idea of recognising the fantastic women who played such a key role during what must have been the darkest of days, during the war, is one that the council was absolutely delighted to get behind.

 “Art has an amazing power to engage people. To connect people to stories and to not only celebrate our heritage but change our future. I hope this is not only a piece that not only keeps the memory of Sunderland’s amazing shipbuilding women alive, but that inspires women and girls long into the future.”