1. By Aimee L Fletcher 5C1

2. Mary Barbour was born in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire on the 22 nd of February, 1875 and was the third of seven children. In 1896, Mary- whose maiden name was Rough- married David Barbour and moved to Govan.

3. Barbour first became politically active when she joined and became an active member of the Kinning Park Co-Operative Guild. The Kinning Park Co-Operative Guild was the first of it’s kind in Britain. Mary also joined the Independent Labour Party and the Socialist Sunday School during the Great War.

4. With men at war fighting and the women staying on the home front working, landlords used this opportunity to raise rent prices by about 25% for the women who lived there and would lead to the women being evicted from their houses and their possessions taken if they had no other way to pay the high rents. This increase in rent led to an out break of anger towards the landowners and strikes were held, let by Mary Barbour herself.

5. Barbour started the Women’s Housing Association, also famously known as “Mrs Barbour’s Army” who she organised and led against the eviction which many women faced. Mary’s campaign worked, many women in the Govan area fought and won against being evicted. As a result of the success in Govan, Barbour’s strikes against eviction spread across the whole Clydeside area in Glasgow.

6. On the 17 th of November, 1915 the largest demonstration by Mrs Barbour’s Army one of the largest demonstrations in Glasgow’s history occurred. Thousands of women, shipyard and engineer workers marched through the streets of Glasgow to the Sheriff’s Court. The demonstration could also be described as almost riot-like. The demonstration led to the creation of the “Rent Restriction Act” which called that landlords had to put rent back to the rate it was before the war and it must stay that way until after the war. This led to a change in the housing system in Glasgow and benefitted tenants across the country, not just Glasgow, thanks to Mary Barbour’s active campaigning and leading the strikes.

7. After the success with the Rent Strikes in 1915, Barbour went on to form the Women’s Peace Crusade in Glasgow with Helen Crawfurd and Agnes Dollan where she was an active speaker at rallies.

8. Between 1924-1927, Barbour served as the first female Baillie and was appointed as one of the first woman Magistrates in Glasgow. Her council work allowed her to develop her commitment to the welfare of women and children. 1925- she became the chairperson of the Women’s Welfare and Advisory Clinic: the first family planning clinic in Glasgow. During this time, Mary Barbour worked hard to raise funds for doctors and nurses. Mary retired from council work in 1931- yet continued to be active in co-operative committees and remained committed to the welfare of the poor and organised trips to the seaside for children from poor backgrounds.

9. At the age of 83- on the 2 nd of April, 1938- Mary Barbour passed away, her funeral took place in Govan. Since barbour’s death, she has been remembered for her bravery against the government and her dedication to her community- specifically the women and children from poorer backgrounds in Glasgow.