{{Short description|Welsh commemoration scheme}}
The '''Purple Plaques''' ({{langx|cy|Placiau Porffor}}) scheme in Wales, UK aims to install plaques on buildings to increase recognition of the lives of women who have had a significant and long-lasting impact associated with Wales.
The scheme was initiated by several members of the National Assembly for Wales, led by Julie Morgan, Member of the Senedd for Cardiff North.<ref name="WesternMail2021">{{cite news |last1=Cavill |first1=Nancy |title=The war reporter and her 'retreat' in Wales; Nancy Cavill uncovers the little-known links between an American war correspondent and novelist and Wales - as a Purple Plaque is unveiled in her memory at her former home in Monmouthshire... pages 12 - 14|work=The Western Mail |date=3 July 2021}}</ref> The purple colour was chosen because of its association with the women's suffrage movement. The scheme was initially organised in partnership with the gender equality charity Chwarae Teg, (Fair Play) and subsequently became an independent charity.<ref name="Chwarae Teg -about Purple Plaques" />
It was launched on 8 March 2017 (International Women's Day) with the aim of installing the first plaque on the Senedd building to commemorate Val Feld. The plaques are glazed purple ceramic with white lettering. Subsequently, one to three plaques have been installed each year.<ref name="Mosalski2017">{{cite news |last1=Mosalski |first1=Ruth |title=Purple plaques bid is launched to mark women's contribution to Welsh life |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/purple-plaques-bid-launched-mark-12707091 |access-date=2 July 2021 |work=Wales Online |date=8 March 2017}}</ref>
Criteria for a plaque include that the person must be a deceased woman with strong links to Wales, and that she must have made a remarkable contribution in Wales or beyond. The extent of her impact on women, including as a role model, will also be considered, as well as whether she has already been commemorated.<ref name="purple plaques criteria">{{cite web |title=Who are Purple Plaques for? Guidelines for proposing a Purple Plaque |url=https://purpleplaques.wales/propose-a-plaque/ |website=Purple plaques |access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref><ref name="Rieder2019">{{cite news |last1=Rieder |first1=Duncan |title=Chwarae Teg calls for Purple Plaques to honour remarkable women in North Wales for International Day of the Girl |url=https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/17602317.chwarae-teg-calls-purple-plaques-honour-remarkable-women-north-wales-international-day-girl/ |access-date=3 July 2021 |work=Denbighshire Free Press |date=27 April 2019}}</ref> In addition to those who are already well known but may not yet be commemorated publicly, the scheme especially aims to recognise women who have previously not been recognised.<ref name="Chwarae Teg -about Purple Plaques">{{cite web |title=About Purple Plaques |url=https://chwaraeteg.com/projects/purple-plaques/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602221047/https://chwaraeteg.com/projects/purple-plaques/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=June 2, 2019 |website=Chwarae Teg |access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref> Practical considerations such as a need for planning permission will also be considered.
right|thumb|227x227px|Val Feld plaque at The Senedd
==Plaques installed== As of September 2025, 22 <!--change this when adding more names-->purple plaques have been installed<ref name="PP-stories">{{cite web |title=Purple plaque stories |url=https://purpleplaques.wales/purple-plaque-stories/ |website=Purple plaques |access-date=2 July 2021}}</ref> to mark the following: * Val Feld, installed on Senedd building 2018. One of the architects of devolution for Wales; Director and founder of Shelter Cymru; activist for social and gender equality.<ref>{{cite web |title=Val Feld |url=https://www.100welshwomen.wales/100-women/val_feld/ |website=100+ Welsh Women |access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref> * Ursula Masson, installed on Merthyr Tydfil Central Library 2019. Academic specialising in women’s history and feminism; founded Centre for Gender Studies in Wales at University of South Wales.<ref name="PP-stories" /> * Megan Lloyd George, installed on her family's home in Criccieth 2019. First woman MP for a Welsh constituency.<ref name="PP-stories" /> * Angela Kwok, installed on her family's take-away in Pontcanna 2020. Champion of isolated Chinese people in south Wales.<ref name="AngelaKwok-purpleplaque">{{cite news |title=Chinese community champion honoured with purple plaque in Cardiff |work=BBC News |date=24 January 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-51225095 |access-date=3 July 2021}}</ref> * Eunice Stallard, installed on the Miners Welfare Hall, Ystradgynlais 2020. Peace campaigner and political activist.<ref name="PP-stories" /> * Martha Gellhorn, installed on her retirement cottage in Devauden 2021. American war correspondent, novelist, travel writer, and journalist.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2021-07-02|title=Reporter Martha Gellhorn honoured with purple plaque|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-57684212|access-date=2021-07-02}}</ref> * Charlotte Price White, installed on her family home in Bangor 2021. Suffragist and politician.<ref name="HistoryPoints">{{cite web |title=Former home of suffragist Charlotte Price White, Bangor |url=https://historypoints.org/index.php?page=former-home-of-suffragist-charlotte-price-white-bangor |website=HistoryPoints |access-date=5 July 2021}}</ref> * Dinah Williams, installed on a cow byre at her home in Borth, Ceredigion, 2021. Pioneering woman organic farmer and entrepreneur.<ref name="BBC-2021">{{cite news |title=Rachel's Dairy founder honoured with purple plaque |work=BBC News |date=24 September 2021 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58667007 |access-date=23 March 2022}}</ref> * Eirene White, Baroness White on Flint Town Hall in June 2022. She was one of the first three women to represent Wales in the UK Parliament, and indeed Wales's only female MP for ten years.<ref>{{cite news |title=Purple plaque to honour one of the first female MPs for Wales to unveiled in Flint today |url=https://www.deeside.com/plaque-to-honour-woman-one-of-the-first-female-mps-for-wales-to-unveiled-in-flint-today/ |access-date=13 June 2022 |work=Deeside.com |date=10 June 2022 |language=en}}</ref> * Thora Silverthorne in 2022 in Abertillery; international brigader, trade unionist and nurse.<ref name="PP-stories" /> * Frances Hoggan on 3 March 2023 at her birthplace in Brecon; campaigner, social reformer and the first female doctor to be registered in Wales.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-03-03 |title=Purple plaque for first Brit woman to get medical degree |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-64842582 |access-date=2023-03-04}}</ref> * Patti Flynn, installed in the Wales Millennium Centre on 24 March 2023 in her home town of Cardiff: singer and black rights activist.<ref name="Purple Plaque 12 in 2023">{{cite web |title=Patti Flynn |url=http://purpleplaques.wales/patti-flynn/ |website=Placiau Porrfor/Purple Plaques |access-date=12 October 2023}}</ref> * Rose Davies, councillor and campaigner.<ref name="PP-2023">{{cite web |title=Rose Davies (1882 – 1958) |url=http://purpleplaques.wales/purple-plaque-stories/rose-davies-1882-1958/ |website=Placiau Porffor/Purple Plaques |access-date=12 October 2023}}</ref><ref name="Museum2023">{{cite web |title=Rose Davies: local socialist feminist honoured with a Purple Plaque at Cynon Valley Museum |url=https://cynonvalleymuseum.wales/2023/05/12/rose-davies-local-socialist-feminist-honoured-with-a-purple-plaque-at-cynon-valley-museum/ |website=Amgueddfa Cwm Cynon/Cynon Valley Museum |date=12 May 2023 |access-date=12 October 2023}}</ref> *Annie Jane Hughes Griffiths was a peace campaigner.<ref name="Elis2023">{{cite web |last1=Elis |first1=Meg |title=Annie Jane Hughes Griffiths (1873 - 1942) |url=https://biography.wales/article/s14-ELLI-JAN-1873#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=0&manifest=https%3A%2F%2Fdamsssl.llgc.org.uk%2Fiiif%2F2.0%2F5184895%2Fmanifest.json&xywh=208%2C377%2C1034%2C850 |website=Dictionary of Welsh Biography/Y Bwygraffiadur Cymreig |access-date=26 June 2024}}</ref> * Jemima Nicholas helped prevent an invasion of Britain by French troops at Fishguard in the 18th century.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morris |first=Steven |date=2024-02-24 |title=Welsh woman 'who took on French invaders' with pitchfork wins recognition |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/feb/24/welsh-woman-who-took-on-french-invaders-with-pitchfork-wins-recognition |access-date=2024-02-24 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> *Dorothy Miles was a poet and activist in the deaf community.<ref>{{cite web|title=University of Bristol Graduate School of Education|url=http://www.bris.ac.uk/education/research/sites/micsl/poem-repository/poems3/|accessdate=7 August 2011}}</ref> *Bernice Rubens was a novelist who was awarded the Booker Prize in 1970.<ref name="Morris2024">{{cite news |last1=Morris |first1=Steven |title=Bernice Rubens, first woman to win Booker, honoured with Cardiff plaque |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/article/2024/jun/21/bernice-rubens-first-woman-win-booker-prize-cardiff-plaque |access-date=26 June 2024 |work=The Guardian |date=21 June 2024}}</ref> *Minnie Pallister, a political activist, peace campaigner, writer and feminist.<ref name="Pallister_purple-plaque-2024">{{cite web |title=Minnie Pallister (1885 – 1960) |url=https://purpleplaques.wales/purple-plaque-stories/minnie-pallister-1885-1960/ |website=Purple Plaques |access-date=27 December 2024}}</ref> * Amy Dillwyn, novelist, businesswoman, and social benefactor. * Agnes Davies, British snooker champion and billiards player. Purple plaque installed in Saron village, near Ammanford, Carmarthenshire.<ref name="Prior2025">{{cite web |last1=Prior |first1=Neil |title=The woman who snookered men for 64 years |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy8gj37eeg7o |website=BBC News |access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref> * Ethel May Hovey, suffragist, councillor, mayor; campaigner for maternity care, pensions and housing and advocate for women's education. Purple Plaque installed at the site where the Nant y Glyn maternity home used to be.<ref name="Colwyn Bay Heritage Group2025">{{cite web |title=Miss Ethel May Hovey – digital exhibition |url=https://colwynbayheritage.org.uk/miss-ethel-hovey-digital-exhibition/ |website=Colwyn Bay Heritage Group |access-date=20 September 2025}}</ref> *Irene Steer, first Welsh woman to win an Olympic gold medal (1912, 4x100m freestyle relay)<ref name="Buckland2025">{{cite web |last1=Buckland |first1=Charlie |title=Plaque for first Welsh woman to win Olympic gold |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqjey7z5y54o |website=BBC News |access-date=19 September 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:2017 establishments in Wales Category:Cultural history of the United Kingdom Category:Cultural history of Wales Category:Historical markers Category:Types of monuments and memorials